Myth-Making and Religious Extremism and Their Roots in CrisesAccording to sociologist C. Wright Mills, we do not live in a world of solid fact but in a world permeated by culture, constructed by humans through communication with each other. Myth-making shapes our lives, beliefs and behavior. Collective myths become plausible explanations for events past and future as each new generation constructs reality anew to make sense of the human condition. Providing a sociological and multicultural analysis, this book examines myth-making in the today's world amid religious extremism and terrorism. The authors discuss the imperative of myth in comprehending illness, sexuality, death and human relationships to the environment and other animals. |
What people are saying - Write a review
User ratings
5 stars |
| ||
4 stars |
| ||
3 stars |
| ||
2 stars |
| ||
1 star |
|
Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified
LibraryThing Review
User Review - bokai - LibraryThingThe title promises an interesting topic but the text itself doesn't live up to that promise. The writing is somewhat disjointed and superficial, and relies mostly on the amassing of citations without ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - Carolfoasia - LibraryThingThe information was fascinating in parts, but it droned on with more and more information without much analysis in other parts. I was hoping the author would give analysis about how all of this affect ... Read full review
Contents
1 | |
1 Why MythMaking Is Necessary | 7 |
2 The MythMaking Process | 20 |
3 Religious Extremism | 34 |
4 The Problem of Evil | 50 |
5 Terrorism | 67 |
6 Born Again | 84 |
7 Illness and Wellness | 97 |
8 Death and Immortality | 114 |
9 Humans and Other Animals | 130 |
10 Human Sexuality | 146 |
11 Alpha and Omega | 161 |
12 The Secular Apocalypse | 174 |
189 | |
201 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
abortion American animal rights Aphrodite became become behavior beliefs body bombing Branch Davidians church Civil civilian collective memories commitment contrast corpse created creation crisis cults culture David Koresh dead death demonic destruction developed diseases earth effects elaborated Emile Durkheim evil example experience extraordinary extremists fear forms God’s historical Holocaust human condition human sexuality identity ideology illness increased individuals intense interactions Japanese killed large number levels lifestyles living major meaning military modern world moral community movement myth myth-making mythology nation Nazi Nazi Germany Neal norms nuclear occurred one’s organizations past perceptions population problems promoting qualities racial realities reflected relationships religion religious groups response result sacred sense sexual social soldiers soul specific spotted owl stem suicide supernatural symbols taboo terrorism terrorist attack Timothy McVeigh tion totemic tragedy trauma uncertainty United Vietnam War weapons whales witchcraft women World Trade Center World War II