God, Politics, Economy Social Theory and the Paradoxes of Religion [Hardcover]

The book intervenes into the contemporary debate on religion, politics, and economy, focusing on the field of formation which emerges as these seemingly autonomous spheres encounter one another.

Empirically, it concentrates on examples from literature, theatre, and cinema as well as a case study of the recent revolts in Turkey where a moderate Islamic government is in power. Theoretically, its focus is on the contemporary return of religion in the horizon of the critique of religion, seeking to articulate an affirmative politics that can re-evaluate the value of dominant values in religious governance and governance of religion.

Introduction: Profanation versus Sacralization  Part 1: Religion as Superstition  1. Excursus I: Voltaires Mahometas Despot  Part 2: Love, Love of God, Intellectual Love of God  2. Excursus II: The Devils, Possession, and Truth-Telling  Part 3: From Political Theology to Politics  3. Excursus III: The Emancipated City: Notes on Gezi Revolts  Part 4: Capitalism as Religion, Religion as Capitalism  4. Excursus IV: The Map, the Territory, and the Impossibility of Painting a Priest  5. Instead of Conclusion: From Four Religions to Four Truth Procedures

B?lent Diken teaches Social and Cultural Theory at Lancaster University, Department of Sociology.