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Are Africans Incurably Religious?

Discourse Analysis of a Debate, Direction of a Discipline

In: Exchange
Author:
Frans Wijsen Radboud University, Nijmegen, Nijmegen Institute for Mission Studies The Netherlands

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Online Publication Date:
26 Oct 2017
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Abstract

This article analyses the debate on the invention of African Religion and the notion that Africans are incurably religious. It uses critical discourse analysis as a form of ideology critique to demonstrate how advocates and opponents of the ‘invention of African Religion’ theory construct their own social realities. Drawing on a conversation between members of the African Association for the Study of Religions the article concludes that the dilemma between the myth and reality of African Religion is false. The fact that African religion was invented does not signify that it does not exist.

Title:
Are Africans Incurably Religious?
Article Type:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/1572543X-12341457
Language:
English
Pages:
370–397
Keywords:
African religion; invention of tradition; social constructivism; critical discourse analysis; ideology critique
In:
Exchange
In:
Volume 46: Issue 4
Publisher:
Brill
E-ISSN:
1572-543X
Print ISSN:
0166-2740
Subjects:
General, Theology and World Christianity

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