The Religion of Everyday Life

When we think of ‘religion’, we often immediately think of the great World Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Chinese Religion (Daoism/Confucianism), Sikhism, Shinto, and Jainism. This is because ‘religion’, as a concept and idea, is, in fact, a modern, Western social construction that reflects its own particular history, uses, abuses, and colonial origins. What if we, instead, understand ‘religion’ as the system according to which we are brought together in society, ritualized, and organized? In this class, we will explore the ‘religious’ elements of supposedly non-religious life, paying especially close attention to advertising, marketing, and consumption, including the consumption of ‘spirituality’ and celebrity. Popular culture and our everyday, daily NYC lives will serve as our laboratory and archive.

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