Contemporary Perspectives on Religions in Africa and the African Diaspora

Contemporary Perspectives on Religions in Africa and the African Diaspora explores African derived religions in a globalized world. The volume focuses on the continent, on African identity in globalization, and on African religion in cultural change.

This collection brings together essays that explore the nature and scope of African and African diaspora religions and their relevance in a globalized world. Building on the work of early scholars such as Bolaji Idowu, John Mbiti, and others, the researchers gathered here investigate African Indigenous Religion both in its own context and in its contacts and competitive interactions with other world religions, such as Christianity, Islam, and, Asian-derived religions. The scholarly voices in this volume engage the history of slavery and contemporary forms of transplantation and migration in order to address religious adaptation and contemporary issues, like health care and ecology. The book focuses on the shaping of the life of Africans inside and outside the continent. The contributors also delve into the shaping of identity in the face of global realities, detailing adaptive and creative religious practices and dynamics that emerge from ongoing contact and cultural change.