Religious Pluralism in Contemporary Society

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An unprecedented and accelerated interchange among different cultures and societies over the last few decades has accentuated the need for understanding different cultures and religions. Religions and faith traditions touch the deepest core of human beings and mostly are causes of their world views. Understanding and being sensitized about different religions helps create a world with more peace and cooperation. This becomes necessary also because of religious freedom now being considered synonymous with personal freedom. Different disciplines of humanities and social sciences need to converge on the point of understanding religious pluralism. This book attempts to bring out this convergence by delving into various sub-themes of religion in the present-day context. This book is relevant to all readers especially undergraduate and postgraduate students, research scholar, academician. It should also be of interest to policy makers.

RUBY SAIN (b.1956) has completed her studies from University of Kalyani (B.A.,M.A., Ph.D.), She has been serving the profession of Sociology for over 27 years at Jadavpur University. She served as Guest Faculty at University of Manitoba, in Canada, Lund University and Gothenborg University in Sweden, University of California, Berkeley and Grand Valley State University, Michigan in USA and Visiting Fellow in Oxford University, UK.

She has published many articles in different journals and contributed several chapters to many edited books and has also done various major and minor Research Projects for UGC (University Grants Commission, New Delhi) and also in collaboration with Gothenborg university in Sweden, Abo Academi University in Finland, University of Manitoba in Canada and Lancaster University in England. In addition, she has already authored and edited six books namely, "Sociology of Religion: Past, Present and Future", "Depression among the Elderly", "White Collar Worker's Trade Unions in Bengal 2005-2008: A Sociological Study", "Contemporary Social Problems in India- Vol. 1" and Vol. II, "Ageing among the Muslim. She has also established the Centre for the Study of Religion and Society here in the Department of Sociology at Jadavpur and am now its Academic Advisor. This Centre is first of its kind in South Asia. She is Founding Editor of the first journal entitled " Jadavpur University Journal of Sociology".

Since time immemorial, Indian society has been recognized as a plural society that is essentially characterized by its unity in diversity. A grand coalescence of cultures, religions and languages of the people belonging to different castes and communities has upheld its unity and cohesiveness. That is to say, India has embraced all kinds of people from different parts of the globe irrespective of race, class, religion, or any parameters known to humankind. Despite its finite geographical boundaries, the nation is exemplary in its cosmic cultural circuits where people abide by a manifold of edicts laid down by various religious texts.

Indian religious texts are remarkable in the sense that they not only convey spiritual truth and proselytize communal identity, but also enlighten people on how to lead a balanced life in society. The norms, values, habits, and customs followed by the Indians have, for centuries, attracted people from various parts of the globe which is why many ethno-linguistic groups (viz. the Aryans) found it easy to enter the land and settle here along with the indigenous groups already in existence. The result was a mixed culture that was not only aesthetically gorgeous but also socially powerful and enriching. On the flip side, however, the nation is also not bereft of unpleasant situations and impediments that have, time and again, deterred its all-round growth and development.

Considering this exclusivity of diversified socio-cultural, socio- political, socio-psychological, and finally socio-religious fabric, I was triggered with the interest to work on this book. The book, as you will find, not only reflects the unified essence of our country but also throws light on the variegation of ideas. The presence of such antithetical dimensions is indeed a linchpin for many researchers overseas. The ideologies manifested in our country are significant in creating a coveted social stability that acts as a conspicuous focus of research for innumerable global scholars across. Researchers are not only interested in the fundamental edification of the body and mind of Indian nationals, but also in the plurality of principles that have sustained mankind in this country.

This book is dedicated to my teacher, Prof. Samir Dasgupta, Emeritus Professor, University of Kalyani, Nadia. He not only guided me from my Under-Graduate studies up to the completion of my Ph.D, but also greatly inspired my impulse to pursue a profession in academia.

My acknowledgement to the authors who are not only highly renowned in their respective fields but who have also uncompromisingly made this book valuable for our readers, scholars, students and knowledge-gatherers. I am thankful to Prof. Tridib Chakroborty, my colleague at Jadavpur University for extending unstinted advice and cooperation in the development of this work. A very special thanks to all my research scholars - the ones who have completed Ph.D and those who are pursuing Doctoral studies under my supervision. My sincerest gratitude to my beloved husband Late Dr. Bikash Chandra Sain, my father Late Shri Rasaraj Das, my mother Smt Renuka Das, my only son Baijaeek Sain and all my relatives for being constant sources of support and strength in all my academic endeavors.I am specifically thankful to all my colleagues and to Dr. Amit Bhowmick who heads the Department of Sociology at Nur Mohammad College, Murshidabad, West Bengal.

Last but definitely not the least, my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Krishan Mittal whose constant inspiration stimulated me to lay hands on this work and complete its editing.

Religions in a pluralistic society ideologically diversified phenomenon but its boundaries reflect the unity within his diversity .This book approaches the problematic of religious diversity in an increasingly partisan world from various religious, social, cultural, and geographical perspectives including Islam, Christianity, Hinduism including the left, right, and liberal perspectives from India, US, Europe, and many other countries.

In The Secularization of Charisma between Disenchantment, Mass Media, And Virtualized Society, Federico D'Agostino claims that religion faces the problem of consumer society which tends to transform everything into merchandise; religion too can play this role, be consumed in the market of objects and gadgets in the supermarket of global society. On the other side religion cannot be reduced to consumption in order to face the ultimate human condition, and also the crucial stages of life cycle. It goes beyond the consumption pattern, it transcends daily life in order to open up the horizon of the "grounding meanings to this life and opens up the perspective, beyond the final stage of this life, into another life.

Hiren Sarkar in Religious Institutions and Movements in a Pluralistic India with Focus on Hinduism: Impact of Resource Mobilization and Expenditures by the Religious Bodies in Strengthening Religion Economy Linkages pointed out a major area of economic religion. In the light of the finding that religion impacts on economic and social outcomes The objective of the paper is to undertake an analysis of the strength and contribution of "resource mobilization" and "resource allocation" (expenditure) of Hindu religious institutions of India towards socioeconomic development of the country.

**Contents and Sample Pages**