| Women of the Sacred Groves: Divine Priestesses of Okinawa Contributor(s): Sered, Susan (Author) |
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ISBN: 0195124863 ISBN-13: 9780195124866 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA OUR PRICE: $217.80 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: March 1999 Annotation: Although most historical and contemporary religions are governed by men, there are, scattered throughout the world, a handful of well-documented religions led by women. Most of these are marginal, subordinate, or secondary religions in the societies in which they are located. The one known exception to this rule is the indigenous religion of Okinawa, where women lead the official mainstream religion of the society. This book is the first in-depth look at this unique religious tradition, exploring the intersection between religion and gender. Based on fieldwork in an Okinawan village, Susan Sered argues that the absence of male dominance in the religious sphere is part of a broader absence of hiearchical ideologies and cultural patterns. In addition to providing important information on this remarkable and little-studied group, this book helps to overturn our mostly unexamined assumptions that male dominance of the religious sphere is universal, axiomatic, and necessary. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Social Science | Women's Studies - Religion | Eastern - Social Science | Sociology Of Religion |
| Dewey: 299.56 |
| LCCN: 98017673 |
| Lexile Measure: 1240 |
| Physical Information: 1" H x 6.36" W x 9.4" (1.51 lbs) 320 pages |
| Themes: - Sex & Gender - Feminine |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Although most historical and contemporary religions are governed by men, there are, scattered throughout the world, a handful of well-documented religions led by women. Most of these are marginal, subordinate, or secondary religions in the societies in which they are located. The one known exception to this rule is the indigenous religion of Okinawa, where women lead the official mainstream religion of the society. This book is the first in-depth look at this unique religious tradition, exploring the intersection between religion and gender. Based on fieldwork in an Okinawan village, Susan Sered argues that the absence of male dominance in the religious sphere is part of a broader absence of hiearchical ideologies and cultural patterns. In addition to providing important information on this remarkable and little-studied group, this book helps to overturn our mostly unexamined assumptions that male dominance of the religious sphere is universal, axiomatic, and necessary. |