AASR Bulletin 35 - The African Association for the Study of Religions
AASR Bulletin 35 - The African Association for the Study of Religions
AASR Bulletin 35 - The African Association for the Study of Religions
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<strong>AASR</strong> BULLETIN <strong>35</strong> (NOVEMBER 2011)<br />
www.a-asr.org<br />
55<br />
[<strong>The</strong> paper examines birds within <strong>the</strong> everyday and healing life <strong>of</strong> recent and historical Khoe-<br />
San <strong>of</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn Africa. Following a brief review <strong>of</strong> academic interest in KhoeSan bird knowledge<br />
and evidence <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> recent social salience <strong>of</strong> birds, I describe how KhoeSan exhibit a<br />
‘listening disposition’ or a particularly tuned awareness to <strong>the</strong>ir environment, within which<br />
birds are accorded certain kinds <strong>of</strong> significance. <strong>The</strong> second half <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> paper links this significance<br />
to how and why birds are used in medicine. I draw particular attention to <strong>the</strong> widespread<br />
use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ostrich and, drawing on historical ethnography and recent anthropological findings,<br />
attribute this to its potent qualities. <strong>The</strong> paper argues <strong>for</strong> subtlety in delineating and understanding<br />
KhoeSan relationships with birds. In particular it highlights <strong>the</strong> dangers <strong>of</strong> approaching<br />
analysis through familiar ‘Western’ categories <strong>of</strong> enquiry.]<br />
Ludwig, Frieder, 2011, ‘“Just like Joseph in <strong>the</strong> Bible”: <strong>The</strong> Liberian Christian Presence in Minnesota’,<br />
in Ludwig & Asamoah-Gyadu 2011: <strong>35</strong>7-380<br />
Ludwig, Frieder, 2011, ‘Interview with Bongani Mazibuko: <strong>The</strong> Centre <strong>for</strong> Black and White<br />
Christian Partnership in Birmingham, United Kingdom’, in Ludwig & Asamoah-Gyadu 2011:<br />
421-426<br />
Ludwig, Frieder, & J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu 2011, ‘Introduction’, in Ludwig & Asamoah-<br />
Gyadu 2011: 3-28<br />
Ludwig, Frieder, & J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu (eds.) 2011, <strong>The</strong> <strong>African</strong> Christian Presence in<br />
<strong>the</strong> West: New Immigrant Congregations and Transnational Networks in North America and<br />
Europe. Trenton [NJ]: Africa World Press, 482 pp., ISBN 978-1592218080, £28.99; Euro<br />
27.66<br />
[Migration is a structural reality <strong>of</strong> contemporary society, which according to some records<br />
now involves around 200 million individuals. With over a million migrants each year and<br />
299,000 asylum applications in 2006 alone, Europe is <strong>the</strong> primary destination <strong>for</strong> migrants<br />
worldwide. This volume examines <strong>the</strong> transnational dynamics <strong>of</strong> <strong>African</strong> Christianity. It has<br />
been compiled with <strong>the</strong> explicit hope that it will stimulate comparative analyses and create<br />
new research networks. It is <strong>the</strong> first to represent research results both from North America<br />
and Europe. One contribution compares <strong>the</strong> experiences <strong>of</strong> Muslim and Christian immigrant<br />
groups, but in general <strong>the</strong> book is confined to <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transnational dynamics <strong>of</strong> <strong>African</strong><br />
Christianity. It includes a broad denominational spectrum from (Oriental) Orthodox, Roman<br />
Catholic, Protestant, to Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. While <strong>the</strong> contributors<br />
from Africa, North America and Europe represent a wide range <strong>of</strong> disciplines and methodological<br />
approaches, toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y engage in an interdisciplinary exchange on <strong>the</strong> significant role<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>African</strong> Christians in <strong>the</strong> West in one volume.]<br />
Mack, Beverly B., 2011, ‘Muslim Women’s Knowledge Production in <strong>the</strong> Greater Maghreb: <strong>The</strong><br />
Example <strong>of</strong> Nana Asma’u <strong>of</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Nigeria’, in Badran 2011<br />
Magesa, Laurenti, 2010, <strong>African</strong> Religion in <strong>the</strong> Dialogue Debate: From Intolerance to Coexistence.<br />
Berlin, etc.: Lit Verlag, 208 pp., ISBN 978-3-643-90018-0 (pbk), Euro 19.90 (= Interreligious<br />
Studies, 3)<br />
[Dialogue between <strong>African</strong> Religion and o<strong>the</strong>r world religions has been much neglected in<br />
<strong>for</strong>mal religious discourse in Africa to date. Moreover, so far dialogue figures only peripherally<br />
– if at all – in <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> evangelism in <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> <strong>African</strong> Christian <strong>The</strong>ology. This<br />
book attempts to fill this lacuna. It addresses <strong>the</strong> question how Christian and <strong>African</strong> spiritualities<br />
may interact with and enrich each o<strong>the</strong>r on <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> mutual respect, without - as has<br />
historically been <strong>the</strong> case - <strong>the</strong> one seeking to eradicate <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r.]<br />
Mallya, Ernst T., 2010, ‘Faith-based Organisations, <strong>the</strong> State and Politics in Tanzania’, in Bompani<br />
& Frahm-Arp 2010: 131-151<br />
Manjoo, Rashida, 2011, ‘Legal Recognition <strong>of</strong> Muslim Marriages in South Africa’, in Badran<br />
2011<br />
Meyer, Birgit, 2011, ‘Going and Making Public: Pentecostalism as Public Religion in Ghana’, in<br />
Englund 2011: 149-166