Routledge Research in Religion and Development: Religions and Development in Asia : Sacred Places as Development Spaces by Matthew Clarke read book DOC, FB2, TXT

9781138792364


1138792365
Community development is most effective and efficient when it is situated and led at the local level and considers the social behaviours, needs and worldviews of local communities. With more than eight out of ten people globally self-reporting religious belief, "Religion and Development in the Asia-Pacific: Sacred places as development spaces "argues that the role and impact of religions on community development needs to be better understood. It also calls for greater attention to be given to the role of sacred places as sites for development activities, and for a deeper appreciation of the way in which sacred stories and teachings inspire people to work for the benefit of others in particular locations. The book considers theories of place as a component of successful development interventions and expands this analysis to consider the specific role that sacred places buildings and social networks have in planning, implementing and promoting sustainable development. A series of case studies examine various sacred places as sites for development activities. These case studies include Christian churches and disaster relief in Vanuatu; Muslim shrines and welfare provision in Pakistan; a women s Buddhist monastery in Thailand advancing gender equity; a Jewish aid organisation providing language training to Muslim Women in Australia; and Hawaiian sacred sites located within a holistic retreat centre committed to ecological sustainability. " Religion and Development in the Asia-Pacific" demonstrates the important role that sacred spaces can play in development interventions, covering diverse major world religions, interfaith and spiritual contexts, and as such will be of considerable interest for postgraduate students and researchers in development studies, religious studies, sociology of religion and geography. ", The values and attitudes associated with different religious beliefs affect both public policy settings as well as social behaviours. Yet, within development studies literature and practice, the importance of religion and faith has been largely ignored or misunderstood. This book argues that the development space is of central importance to facilitate access to development activities but also to ensure participation of those that are the primary beneficiary of the development intervention. Development is most efficient when it is located at the community level and is community lead and implemented. As a result of the social and individual influence of religion and religious practice, the development space and sacred place become intertwined thus making necessary the need to reject the sacred/secular dichotomy popular within mainstream development theory and practice. The book considers both the theory of space as a component of successful development interventions and expands this analysis to consider the specific role that sacred places buildings and social networks have in planning, implementing and promoting development activities. A series of case studies considers various sacred places as sites for development activities. These case studies include Christian churches in Vanuatu, Buddhist Wats in Thailand, Islamic Mosques in Indonesia, Catholic Churches in the Philippines, and Hindu Temples in India. Each of these case studies explores how the physical buildings associated with the different religions plays dual role of a sacred place as well as a development space." " This book provides much-needed exploration of the intersection between development and religion that covers all the major world religions for postgraduate students and researchers in development studies, religious studies and social geography. "

Matthew Clarke - Routledge Research in Religion and Development: Religions and Development in Asia : Sacred Places as Development Spaces ebook MOBI, PDF