Invading the Sacred

Invading the Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America
Author Antonio de Nicolas
Krishnan Ramaswamy
Aditi Banerjee
Country India
Language English
Publisher Rupa & Co.
Publication date
 2007
Pages 545
ISBN 978-8129111821
OCLC 162522146

Invading The Sacred: An Analysis Of Hinduism Studies In America is a critical work published in 2007 by Rupa & Co. which discusses perceived factual inaccuracies in Hindu studies.[1][2][3] The editors of the book are Antonio de Nicolas, Krishnan Ramaswamy, and Aditi Banerjee.[4] The book has contributions from Arvind Sharma of McGill University, S. N. Balagangadhara of Ghent University, psychoanalyst Alan Roland, Yvette Rosser, Ramesh N. Rao, Pandita Indrani Rampersad, Yuvraj Krishnan, and others.

Documenting protests and disputed studies

The book documents essays, critiques and surveys of western scholarship on religions and traditions in India.[5] Often, the current knowledge in America of Hinduism is shocking to Indians. The book also contains critiques of European ideas as applied to Indian culture. The last sections chronicles how key academic establishments in United States have responded.[6] The book documents protests that are not only of cognitive or factual basis but also often about interpretations. Critics of academics claim bias or gross errors in some aspects.[7] The book also disputes the studies by Wendy Doniger, Jeffery Kripal and Paul Courtright. It also critiques the efficacy of the excessive use of Freudian psychoanalysis in hermeneutics which some of these studies rely on.[1]

Analysis of the book

An extensive scholarly analysis of this work has been published by Rahul Peter Das.[8]

Impact of the book

The book played a seminal role in initiating deeper review of scholarly study of Hinduism in the USA, and is often cited in related articles.[9][10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Banerjee, Aditi (June 29, 2007). "Invading The Sacred". Outlook. M/s Outlook Publishing (India) Private Limited. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
  2. ↑ Ramaswamy, Krishnan (August 17, 2007). "Invading the Sacred". Little India. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
  3. ↑ Singleton, Mark; Byrne, Jean (2008). Yoga in the Modern World: Contemporary Perspectives. Routledge Hindu Studies Series. Routledge. p. 13. ISBN 978-0415452588.
  4. ↑ Clooney, Francis X. (2010). Comparative Theology: Deep Learning Across Religious Borders. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 172. ISBN 978-1405179737.
  5. ↑ Arnal, William; McCutcheon, Russell T. (2012). The Sacred Is the Profane: The Political Nature of Religion. Oxford University Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0199757114.
  6. ↑ Balagangadhara, S. N. (2007). "Foreword". Invading The Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America. Rupa & Co. ISBN 978-8129111821.
  7. ↑ Sharma, Arvind (2007). "Preface". Invading The Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America. Rupa & Co. ISBN 978-8129111821.
  8. ↑ Das, Rahul Peter (2011). "On the Study of Hinduism in the USA, and the Issue of adhikāra-". Orientalistische Literaturzeitung 106: 151–168. ISSN 0030-5383.
  9. ↑ Balakrishna, Sandeep (February 13, 2014). "Why the Wendy Doniger episode is not a free speech issue". Firstpost. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
  10. ↑ Gupt, Bharat (February 14, 2014). "A Critique of Wendy Doniger’s Portrayal of Hinduism". Centre Right India. Retrieved 2015-04-09.

Further reading

External links