Böcker av Francois Gauthier

This book aims to expand the limits of the social-scientific study of religion and define a coherent model of recent global transformations in religion, challenging the paradigm of secularisation and post-secularisation.

Gli anni '90 hanno visto l'emergere di due fenomeni giovanili apparentemente lontani. Da un lato, la comparsa della musica techno è stata il vettore per l'emergere di una sottocultura originale e brillante, che ruota intorno a eventi festivi con un forte potenziale trasformativo. Senza essere una "religione", il fenomeno techno contiene dimensioni religiose evidenti e persino rivendicate dagli attori. D'altra parte, un nuovo movimento politico di protesta è emerso per denunciare gli eccessi della globalizzazione economica, inventando nel processo un linguaggio radicalmente nuovo che continua oggi con i movimenti degli Indignati e di Occupy. Rompendo con l'immaginario e le pratiche di protesta ereditate dal dopoguerra e basate sullo scontro e sulla presa di potere, l'alterglobalismo ha inventato modalità di mobilitazione carnevalesche e festose, imprevedibili e colorate. Cosa significa questa doppia irruzione del festivo ai margini della cultura? L'analisi di questi due fenomeni mostra una profonda mutazione del religioso e del politico nelle nostre società, ormai immerse nel mercato e plasmate dal consumismo.

In den 1990er Jahren kam es zur Entstehung zweier Jugendphänomene, die auf den ersten Blick weit auseinander liegen. Auf der einen Seite war das Aufkommen der Techno-Musik der Vektor für die Entstehung einer originellen und schillernden Subkultur, die sich um Party-Events mit starkem transformativem Potenzial drehte. Ohne "eine Religion" zu sein, birgt das Phänomen Techno religiöse Dimensionen, die ins Auge springen und von den Akteuren sogar für sich beansprucht werden. Auf der anderen Seite entstand eine neue politische Protestbewegung, die die Auswüchse der wirtschaftlichen Globalisierung anprangerte und nebenbei eine radikal neue Sprache erfand, die sich heute in der Bewegung der Empörten und Occupy fortsetzt. Die Antiglobalisierungsbewegung brach mit den aus der Nachkriegszeit überlieferten Vorstellungen und Praktiken des Protests, die auf Konfrontation und Machtergreifung basierten, und erfand karnevalistische und festliche Mobilisierungsformen, die unvorhersehbar und farbenfroh waren. Was bedeutet dieser doppelte Einbruch des Festlichen in die Ränder der Kultur? Die Analyse dieser beiden Phänomene zeugt von einem tiefgreifenden Wandel des Religiösen und des Politischen in unseren Gesellschaften, die nunmehr vom Markt und vom Konsumismus geprägt sind.

The 1990s saw the emergence of two seemingly distant youth phenomena. On the one hand, the appearance of techno music was the vector for the emergence of an original and brilliant subculture, revolving around festive events with a strong transformative potential. Without being a "religion", the techno phenomenon contains religious dimensions which are obvious and which are even claimed by the actors. On the other hand, a new political protest movement has emerged to denounce the excesses of economic globalisation, inventing in the process a radically new language that continues today with the Indignant and Occupy movements. Breaking with the imaginary and protest practices inherited from the post-war period and based on confrontation and the seizure of power, alterglobalism has invented carnivalesque and festive modes of mobilisation, unpredictable and colourful. What does this double irruption of the festive into the margins of culture mean? The analysis of these two phenomena shows a profound mutation of the religious as well as the political in our societies, now bathed in the market and shaped by consumerism.

Os anos 90 assistiram ao aparecimento de dois fenómenos de juventude aparentemente distantes. Por um lado, o aparecimento da música techno foi o vector para a emergência de uma subcultura original e brilhante, girando em torno de eventos festivos com um forte potencial transformador. Sem ser uma "religião", o fenómeno tecno contém dimensões religiosas que são óbvias e que até são reivindicadas pelos actores. Por outro lado, surgiu um novo movimento de protesto político para denunciar os excessos da globalização económica, inventando no processo uma linguagem radicalmente nova que continua hoje com os movimentos Indignados e Ocupados. Rompendo com as práticas imaginárias e de protesto herdadas do período pós-guerra e baseadas no confronto e na tomada do poder, o alterglobalismo inventou modos de mobilização carnavalescos e festivos, imprevisíveis e coloridos. O que significa esta dupla irrupção do festivo para as margens da cultura? A análise destes dois fenómenos mostra uma profunda mutação tanto do religioso como do político nas nossas sociedades, agora banhadas pelo mercado e moldadas pelo consumismo.

Like any other subject, the study of religion is a child of its time. Shaped and forged over the course of the twentieth century, it has reflected the interests and political situation of the world at the time. As the twenty-first century unfolds, it is undergoing a major transition along with religion itself. This volume showcases new work and new approaches to religion which work across boundaries of religious tradition, academic discipline and region.The influence of globalizing processes has been evident in social and cultural networking by way of new media like the internet, in the extensive power of global capitalism and in the increasing influence of international bodies and legal instruments. Religion has been changing and adapting too. This handbook offers fresh insights on the dynamic reality of religion in global societies today by underscoring transformations in eight key areas: Market and Branding; Contemporary Ethics and Virtues; Intimate Identities; Transnational Movements; Diasporic Communities; Responses to Diversity; National Tensions; and Reflections on 'Religion'. These themes demonstrate the handbook's new topics and approaches that move beyond existing agendas.Bringing together scholars of all ages and stages of career from around the world, the handbook showcases the dynamism of religion in global societies. It is an accessible introduction to new ways of approaching the study of religion practically, theoretically and geographically.

This book, together with a complementary volume Religion in the Neoliberal Age, focuses on religion, neoliberalism and consumer society; offering an overview of an emerging field of research in the study of contemporary religion. Claiming that we are entering a new phase of state-religion relations.

This book, together with the complementary volume Religion in Consumer Society, focuses on religion, neoliberalism and consumer society; offering an overview of an emerging field of research in the study of contemporary religion. Outlining changes in both the political-institutional and cultural spheres.