Ulf Vierke

Magnus Echtler

Afeosemime Unuose Adogame

In a world supposedly characterized by the production of new differences and cultural permutations resulting from the twin processes of globalization and cultural syncretisation, hardly anything has remained as obscure and theoretically under-theorized as the very notion of the "new" itself. An inherent relativity often accompanies any contemplation of what is new or old, as well as the question at which point the old turns into the new. Syncretism as both process and description hinges largely on the assumption and premise that what is observed has appropriately or inappropriately mixed categories - culture, religion, language - that are intrinsically alien to each other. Such a syncretic constellation is bound to result in something that may be considered new. Any definition of "syncretism", the syncretisation process and the appropriation of the notion "new" as useful heuristic tools must indeed be located within specific local contexts, as such terms are unlikely to serve as adequate descriptions of homogenous sets of phenomena. Syncretism as a process is intertwined with processes of contextualization. Against this backdrop, this book seeks to unravel and demystify the ideology of the new on the basis of concrete case studies from various regions across Africa and beyond.

Critical Perspectives on Cultural Syncretization in Africa and Beyond

Unpacking the New

Afe Adogame

Oliver Freiberger

When scholarship presents the histories, belief systems, and ritual patterns of specific religious groups, it often privileges victorious and élite fractions of those communities to the detriment and neglect of alternative, dissonant, and resurgent voices. The contributions in this volume, which include case studies on various religious and academic contexts, illustrate the importance of listening to those alternative voices for the study of religion. At the same time, they are meant to honor Professor Ulrich Berner, on the occasion of his 65th birthday, and the inspiration his plurality approach gives for studying religion and religions. As the book shows, following this approach brings to light numerous religious beliefs and practices that were neglected by previous scholarship, and it exposes thediscourses, conflicts, and power relations in each particular context. It forces scholars to study religion as an ever-contested and dynamic process rather than a static institution, as it is normally conceptualized by dominant religiousélites. The chapters in this book deal with the contested category ‘religion’; the plurality of voices in religious, cultural, and ethnic encounters; alternative voices within specific religious traditions; and plurality in the study of religion itself. They demonstrate that listening to alternative voices is not only interesting but methodologically essential for a better understanding of religion.

A Plurality Approach for Religious Studies. Essays in Honor of Ulrich Berner

Alternative Voices

Religion as an ever-contested and dynamic process.

Magnus Echtler

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