Religion in Rebellions Revolutions and Social Movements

<p><em>Religion in Rebellions Revolutions and Social Movements</em> demonstrates that while religion is often a social force that maintains if not legitimates the sociopolitical order it is also a decisive factor in economic social and political conflict.</p><p>The book explores how and under what conditions religion functions as a progressive and/or reactionary force that compels people to challenge or protect social orders. The authors focus on the role that religion has played in peasant slave and plebeian rebellions; revolutions including the Chinese English French Russian and Iranian; and modern social movements. In addition to these case studies the book also contains theoretical chapters that explore the relationship religious thought has with the politics of liberation and oppression. It examines the institutional organizational ritualistic discursive ideological and/or framing mechanisms that give religion its oppressive and liberating structures. Many scholars of religion continue very conventional modes of thinking ignoring how religion has been—and continues to be—both a hegemonic and counterhegemonic force in conflict. This book looks at both sides of the equation.</p><p>This international and interdisciplinary volume will be of interest to students and scholars in the fields of politics of religion sociology of religion religious studies gender studies and history.</p>