Anthropological Studies of Religion: An Introductory Text [Paperback]

Brian Morris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 1987

In this important, scholarly and wide-ranging text, Brian Morris provides a lucid outline of the nature of the explanations of religious phenomena offered by such great thinkers as Hegel, Marx, and Weber. In doing so he also unravels the many theoretical strategies in the study of religion that have been developed and explored by later anthropologists. Besides discussing the classical authors and the debates surrounding their work, Morris presents perceptive accounts of more contemporary scholars such as Jung, Malinowski, Levi-Strauss, Geertz, and Godelier. Written from the standpoint of critical sympathy, and free of jargon, this book is an invaluable guide to the writings on religion of all the major figures in anthropology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Written with urbanity and wit, this book reviews the intellectual and historical contexts in which anthropology became a discipline concerned with the explanation of religion as a human behavior." Religious Studies Review

"Written in an easy and approachable style, Morris's book is a first-rate survey of the social scientific study of religion and is highly recommended." Robert Segal, The Journal of Religion

Book Description

The religious significance of the works of Hegel, Marx, Durkheim, Weber and Freud is clarified to redefine the study of religion pursued by anthropologists. Perceptive accounts of contemporary scholars as well as classical authors are included.

Product Details

• Paperback: 382 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 27, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 052133991X
• ISBN-13: 978-0521339919
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #538,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction, January 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Anthropological Studies of Religion: An Introductory Text (Paperback)

I just finished reading this book as a starting point for a larger research project into the anthropological perspective on religion and found it to be a useful and in-depth introduction. This is not a "for beginners" book and Morris does not talk down to the reader. Morris provides a broad overview of important perspectives on religion from sociologists (Marx, Weber, Durkheim), anthropologists (Turner, Levi-Strauss, Malinowski, Douglas), and even covering, although pretty critically, the psychoanalytic interpretations of Freud and Jung. This is a good, comprehensive introduction that gives a general overview and deals with the criticisms of a flaws in the theories covered.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars in-depth theoretical approach with very little bias, June 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Anthropological Studies of Religion: An Introductory Text (Paperback)

This book is a great textbook for any beginning anthropological student (whether or not you're in school) though it is very dense and tough to get through. First, you get a paragraph or so explaining the background of the person whose theories are being presented. Then you get the basic reactions and opinions of the scholar and their theories, followed by an explanation of the theories themselves. In some cases, you also get other scholars' criticisms and then the original's rebuttals. Morris seems to have a pretty liberal approach to the field, and it is rare to see his biases show.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant man, May 9, 2006

By 

Laura Wiand (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Anthropological Studies of Religion: An Introductory Text (Paperback)

I've lost my copy of this book and am willing to buy it again!Having had the great privilege of taking several courses with Professor Morris, I highly, highly recommend this and any other book he's authored. He is an excellent anthropologist with a deep understanding of the concepts he delves into.