Description: The Myth of Religious Violence: Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict The Myth of Religious Violence: Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict by William T Cavanaugh The idea that religion has a dangerous tendency to promote violence is part of the conventional wisdom of Western societies, and it underlies many of our institutions and policies, from limits on the public role of religion to efforts to promote liberal democracy in the Middle East. William T. Cavanaugh challenges this conventional wisdom by examining how the twin categories of religion and the secular are constructed. A growing body of scholarly work explores how the category 'religion' has been constructed in the modern West and in colonial contexts according to specific configurations of political power. Cavanaugh draws on this scholarship to examine how timeless and transcultural categories of 'religion and 'the secular' are used in arguments that religion causes violence. He argues three points: 1) There is no transhistorical and transcultural essence of religion. What counts as religious or secular in any given context is a function of political configurations of power; 2) Such a transhistorical and transcultural concept of religion as non-rational and prone to violence is one of the foundational legitimating myths of Western society; 3) This myth can be and is used to legitimate neo-colonial violence against non-Western others, particularly the Muslim world. Copyright 2009 Pages: 285 pages Publisher: Oxford University Press` The book measures approx. 9 ½ by 6 inches. The hardcover is nice, dustjacket with some gentle wear and rubbing. The spine end is good with light wear. The boards and corners are in good shape. The hinges and binding are tight and strong. The pages are good with some minor wear, book is nice. Shipping weight is 3 pounds Inventory: 0924AE170
Price: 34.99 USD
Location: Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania
End Time: 2024-12-08T20:56:33.000Z
Shipping Cost: 6.13 USD
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Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Topic: World
Subject: Religion & Spirituality
