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The Invention of Japanese Religions
Author(s) -
Josephson Jason Ānanda
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
religion compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.113
H-Index - 1
ISSN - 1749-8171
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-8171.2011.00307.x
Subject(s) - extension (predicate logic) , politics , psychology , classification of discontinuities , epistemology , religious studies , sociology , social psychology , political science , law , philosophy , computer science , mathematics , mathematical analysis , programming language
In recent years, the academic study of religion has begun to challenge the usefulness of the concept of ‘religion’ itself. This article examines the extension of this critical turn to the issue of Japanese religion. It traces the history of the invention of Japanese religions as conceptual categories and discusses debates about the continuities and discontinuities of ‘religion’ ( sh ū ky ō) in Japan. Finally, it surveys the Japanese invention of ‘religion’ as a legal and political category.