Collectivistic Religions

"Collectivistic Religions draws upon empirical studies of Christianity in Europe to address questions of religion and collective identity, religion and nationalism, religion and public life, and religion and conflict. It moves beyond the attempts to tackle such questions in terms of "choice" and "religious nationalism," introducing the notion of "collectivistic religions" to contemporary debates surrounding public religions. By employing such conceptual apparatus that bridge the gap between the social sciences and the humanities, Collectivistic Religions argues that religious pluralization does not only establish religious markets, but also helps to sustain religious identities that are experienced as ascribed rather than chosen. The book thus provides a compelling account of the relationship between religions, collective identities, and public life." "Using a comparison of several case studies — from Greece to Ireland, from Bosnia and Croatia to Poland — this book challenges the modernist bias in the understanding of collectivistic religions as reducible or epiphenomenal to national identities. A significant contribution to both the study of religious change in contemporary Europe and the theoretical debates that surround religion and secularization, it will be of interest to scholars across a range of disciplines, including sociology, political science, religious studies, peace and nationalism studies, and geography." "Sociology is at its strongest when it is combined with history and Jakelic"s new book is one of the best examples of historical sociology in recent times. The idea of collectivistic religions is a fruitful one for illuminating the link between religion, nationalism, identity, and politics. It is impressive in its scholarship and thoroughly persuasive.-John D. Brewer, University of Aberdeen, UK" This is an important new work on religious identity, theoretically rich, lucidly written, and laden with fascinating examples from the Balkans and beyond. It is firmly in the camp of religion matters, tackling the ethno-centric consensus with gusto. Anybody interested in religion and belonging in modern societies needs to read this book.-Claire Mitchell, Queen's University Belfast, UK.