Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: This article explores the reasons behind the lack of connection between religious historiography and global history in research on periods from the late eighteenth century to the present day (known as the “contemporary era” in France). On the one hand, global history, which has been shaped by economic and political studies, seems disinterested in religious matters, considered irrelevant for the explanation of the most recent phases of globalization. On the other hand, religious historiography, which has sought to secularize its approaches, seems distrustful of a global history that sometimes gives rise to a theology of convergence. The rare works of global history specifically focused on religion seem to justify, by their disturbing proximity to world theology, these apprehensions. In their vast majority, when historians of contemporary religion cross national borders in their research, they mobilize the paradigm of “transnational history” and not that of global history. While acknowledging the merits of this “humble” positioning, the author pleads for a globalized history of religion in the contemporary era, which would test sociological theories of globalized religion, discuss the hypotheses of historians of globalization, and analyze afresh the dynamics of religion in the recent history of humanity.
Source: Rhizome
Author: Julien Grard
Language: French
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2936236146