Faith in the Future: Understanding the Revitalization of Religions and Cultural Traditions in Asia (Social Sciences in Asia, 32)

Revitalization of religious and cultural traditions is taking place in nearly all contemporary Asian societies, as is shown in Faith in the Future: Understanding the Revitalization of Religions and Cultural Traditions in Asia. Revitalization is not unique to Asia, it is one of the most significant new global trends in religion and society. While they are a response to globalization and rapid change, revitalization movements are not backward looking but represent a struggle by local people for their right to determine their own future in a changing world, while also reflecting their desire to find an appropriate place and status for themselves within a global context which they take for granted. The volume provides a comparative analysis of the key features and aspirations of revitalization movements and assesses their scope for shaping the future trajectories of societies in all parts of the world.

Thomas A. Reuter, Ph.D. (1996), Australian National University, is a Professor at the Asian Institute at the University of Melbourne. He is the Chair of the World Council of Anthropological Associations, and has published eight books including Custodians of the Sacred Mountains, Hawaii, 2002.

Alexander Horstmann, Ph.D. (2000), University of Bielefeld, is Associate Professor in Social Anthropology at RILCA, Mahidol University and Senior Research Partner at Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen, Germany. He is co-editor of the journal Conflict and Society: Advances in Research, and has published four books and numerous articles in international journals.