Dirt

Dirt

Dirt invites scholars (and would-be-scholars) of religion to reflect on, discuss, and debate its underlying question: What do we study when we study religion? I have included some sample discussion questions below that could be used in conjunction with Dirt.

The text is modified from J.Z. Smith's essay "Map is not Territory" from his book Map is Not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions (Chicago University press, 1993). 

Run time: under 5 minutes

Discussions Questions:

• Rather than focusing on gods or supernatural forces, Prof Z talks about religion as human activity. Why do you think he does this? What are the benefits of this focus on human activity for studying religion? Are there drawbacks?

• Prof Z defines religion as "the quest, within the bounds of the human historical condition, for the power to manipulate and negotiate one's situation so as to have space in which to meaningfully dwell." Analyze this definition carefully, then answer the following:
  • Why does Prof Z describe religion as a quest for power? What does space have to do with power and religion?
  • What do you think of Prof Z's definition? What are its strengths? What are its weaknesses? Could it be used to include phenomenon we don't typically think of as religious in the category of religion? Might it exclude phenomenon that most people do consider religious?

• Prof Z suggests that the farmer's daily ritual is essentially religious. But the story never asks the farmer if she sees her activity that way. How does the implicit power scholars of religion have to define and decide what is (and is not) religion affect the relationships between scholars and the people they study? Are there ways scholars might abuse that power that we should avoid? Who should get to define religion and why?

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