Reflections on an Academic Pursuit of Religion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.39808Keywords:
Studies in religion, history of religion, Islamic studies, Heidegger, SufismAbstract
The study of religion is a contested field of investigation that has for thepast two decades challenged my thinking on the subject. 'An unofficialphilosopher of religion who received his academic training from a historian'sums up my story as an accidental scholar of religion. On the whole,I see my work as a series of successive leaps, unbound by any one particularproject. As a mid-career academic, I am in the process of yet anotherleap, as it were. The one thing that anchors what I do is the simultaneoushistorical and philosophical pursuit of what religion is.
References
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Bulliet, Richard 1994 Islam: The View from the Edge. Columbia University Press, New York.
Caputo, John D. 1986 [1978] The Mystical Element in Heidegger’s Thought. Fordham University Press, New York.
Gadamer, Hans-Georg 1975 [1960] Truth and Method. Seabury Press, New York.
Gallagher, Nancy Elizabeth (ed.) 1994 Approaches to the History of the Middle East: Interviews with Leading Middle East Historians. Ithaca Press, Reading.
Grenfell, Michael 2012 Pierre Bourdieu: Key Concepts, 2nd edn. Routledge, Abingdon.
Heidegger, Martin 1960 Der Ursprung des Kunstwerkes. Reclam, Stuttgart.
Hinnells, John R. (ed.) 2010 The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion, 2nd edn. Routledge, Abingdon.
Krell, David Farrell (ed.) 1977 Basic Writings from ‘Being and Time’ (1927) to ‘The Task of Thinking’ (1964). Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.
Lewisohn, Leonard 1999 The Heritage of Sufism, 3 vols. Oneworld, Oxford.
Milani, Milad 2009 The Secret Persia from Deep Antiquity to the Sufis: A Macrohistory of Persian Culturo-Religious Resilience with Particular Reference to Esoteric Currents of Spirituality. PhD dissertation, University of Sydney, Department of Religious Studies, Sydney.
2013 Sufism in the Secret History of Persia. Acumen, Durham.
2014a Cultural Muslims, like Cultural Christians, are a Silent Majority. The Conversation, 30 September. Online: https://theconversation.com/cultural-muslims-like-cultural-christians-are-a-silent-majority-32097 (accessed September 10, 2019).
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2015a ‘Universal Love’: The Case for a Psychology of Love in Sufism. Australian Psychological Society (Sufism and Psychology Interest Group).
2015b All of Islam Isn’t Intolerant, Nor Did the West Always Accept Blasphemy. The Conversation, 12 January. Online: https://theconversation.com/all-of-islam-isnt-intolerant-nor-did-the-west-always-accept-blasphemy-36019 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015c Islam and the West: What Really Separates Them? ABC Religion & Ethics, 20 January. Online: http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2015/01/20/4165393.htm (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015d The Trouble with Islam: Learning is the Traditional and Best Remedy. The Conversation, 18 February. Online: https://theconversation.com/the-trouble-with-islam-learning-is-the-traditional-and-best-remedy-37209 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015e Muslims Need to Counter Violent Jihadists’ Claim to Represent Islam. The Conversation, 10 July. Online: https://www.theconversation.com/muslims-need-to-counter-violent-jihadists-claim-to-represent-islam-43051 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015f Islam: The ‘Open Civilisation’ Confounds Closed Minds. The Conversation, 20 July. Online: https://theconversation.com/islam-the-open-civilisation-confounds-closed-minds-44416 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015g Hearts and Minds: How (Not) to Oppose Radicalisation. ABC Religion & Ethics, 23 October. Online: https://www.abc.net.au/religion/hearts-and-minds-how-not-to-oppose-radicalisation/10097726 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015h An Islamic Reformation is Not the Solution to Stop Extremism. The Conversation, 18 November. Online: https://theconversation.com/an-islamic-reformation-is-not-the-solution-to-stop-extremism-50233 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015i Sufism. The Religious Studies Project, 27 April. Online: http://www.religiousstudiesproject.com/podcast/sufism/ (accessed September 10, 2019).
2016a Metaphysics of Love in Sufi Writings. Eremos: Exploring Spirituality in Australia 135: 13–17.
2016b Persianate Sufism: The Sufism of Dr Javad Nurbakhsh. Australian Psychological Society (Sufism and Psychology Interest Group).
2018a Sufi Political Thought. Routledge, Abingdon.
2018b Indefinable Mysticism: Sufism in the Persian Cultural Style. Iranica Conference: Mirrors of Iran—Unveiling Iranian Literary Heritage. Sydney, NSW.
2019 The ‘Sufism’ of Monsieur Ibrahim. In Cultural Fusion of Sufi Islam: Alternative Paths to Mystical Faith, edited by Sarwar Alam, ch. 2. Routledge, Abingdon.
Milani, Milad, and Vassilis Adrahtas 2018 Modern Talking: Sufi Socio-Political Discourse. Journal of Religious and Political Practice 4(2): 175–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/20566093.2018.1439813
Milani, Milad, and Drew Cottle 2018 Quest for Justice: Islamism, Social Justice, and Civility in Islamic History. Journal of Religious and Political Practice 4(3): 368–88.
Nelson, Eric S. 2014 Heidegger and Dilthey: Language, History, and Hermeneutics. In Horizons of Authenticity in Phenomenology, Existentialism, and Moral Psychology, edited by Hans Pedersen and Megan Altman, 109–28. Springer, Dordrecht.
Ricoeur, Paul 2008 [1970] Freud and Philosophy: An Essay on Interpretation. Denis Savage (trans.). Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.
Sheehan, Thomas 1986 The First Coming: How the Kingdom of God became Christianity. Crucible, Suffolk.
2015 Making Sense of Heidegger: A Paradigm Shift. Rowman & Littlefield, London.
Turner, Bryan S. 2013 Sociology of Islam: Collected Essays of Bryan S. Turner. Ashgate, Surrey.
Vermes, Geza 1993 The Religion of Jesus the Jew. SCM Press, London.
Bulliet, Richard 1994 Islam: The View from the Edge. Columbia University Press, New York.
Caputo, John D. 1986 [1978] The Mystical Element in Heidegger’s Thought. Fordham University Press, New York.
Gadamer, Hans-Georg 1975 [1960] Truth and Method. Seabury Press, New York.
Gallagher, Nancy Elizabeth (ed.) 1994 Approaches to the History of the Middle East: Interviews with Leading Middle East Historians. Ithaca Press, Reading.
Grenfell, Michael 2012 Pierre Bourdieu: Key Concepts, 2nd edn. Routledge, Abingdon.
Heidegger, Martin 1960 Der Ursprung des Kunstwerkes. Reclam, Stuttgart.
Hinnells, John R. (ed.) 2010 The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion, 2nd edn. Routledge, Abingdon.
Krell, David Farrell (ed.) 1977 Basic Writings from ‘Being and Time’ (1927) to ‘The Task of Thinking’ (1964). Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.
Lewisohn, Leonard 1999 The Heritage of Sufism, 3 vols. Oneworld, Oxford.
Milani, Milad 2009 The Secret Persia from Deep Antiquity to the Sufis: A Macrohistory of Persian Culturo-Religious Resilience with Particular Reference to Esoteric Currents of Spirituality. PhD dissertation, University of Sydney, Department of Religious Studies, Sydney.
2013 Sufism in the Secret History of Persia. Acumen, Durham.
2014a Cultural Muslims, like Cultural Christians, are a Silent Majority. The Conversation, 30 September. Online: https://theconversation.com/cultural-muslims-like-cultural-christians-are-a-silent-majority-32097 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2014b The Truth about whether Islam is a Religion of Violence or Peace. The Conversation, 6 October. Online: https://theconversation.com/the-truth-about-whether-islam-is-a-religion-of-violence-or-peace-32437 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2014c Islam, Actually: Telling the Truth about Religion and Violence in the Wake of the Sydney Siege. ABC Religion & Ethics, 29 December. Online: http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2014/12/29/4155401.htm (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015a ‘Universal Love’: The Case for a Psychology of Love in Sufism. Australian Psychological Society (Sufism and Psychology Interest Group).
2015b All of Islam Isn’t Intolerant, Nor Did the West Always Accept Blasphemy. The Conversation, 12 January. Online: https://theconversation.com/all-of-islam-isnt-intolerant-nor-did-the-west-always-accept-blasphemy-36019 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015c Islam and the West: What Really Separates Them? ABC Religion & Ethics, 20 January. Online: http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2015/01/20/4165393.htm (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015d The Trouble with Islam: Learning is the Traditional and Best Remedy. The Conversation, 18 February. Online: https://theconversation.com/the-trouble-with-islam-learning-is-the-traditional-and-best-remedy-37209 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015e Muslims Need to Counter Violent Jihadists’ Claim to Represent Islam. The Conversation, 10 July. Online: https://www.theconversation.com/muslims-need-to-counter-violent-jihadists-claim-to-represent-islam-43051 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015f Islam: The ‘Open Civilisation’ Confounds Closed Minds. The Conversation, 20 July. Online: https://theconversation.com/islam-the-open-civilisation-confounds-closed-minds-44416 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015g Hearts and Minds: How (Not) to Oppose Radicalisation. ABC Religion & Ethics, 23 October. Online: https://www.abc.net.au/religion/hearts-and-minds-how-not-to-oppose-radicalisation/10097726 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015h An Islamic Reformation is Not the Solution to Stop Extremism. The Conversation, 18 November. Online: https://theconversation.com/an-islamic-reformation-is-not-the-solution-to-stop-extremism-50233 (accessed September 10, 2019).
2015i Sufism. The Religious Studies Project, 27 April. Online: http://www.religiousstudiesproject.com/podcast/sufism/ (accessed September 10, 2019).
2016a Metaphysics of Love in Sufi Writings. Eremos: Exploring Spirituality in Australia 135: 13–17.
2016b Persianate Sufism: The Sufism of Dr Javad Nurbakhsh. Australian Psychological Society (Sufism and Psychology Interest Group).
2018a Sufi Political Thought. Routledge, Abingdon.
2018b Indefinable Mysticism: Sufism in the Persian Cultural Style. Iranica Conference: Mirrors of Iran—Unveiling Iranian Literary Heritage. Sydney, NSW.
2019 The ‘Sufism’ of Monsieur Ibrahim. In Cultural Fusion of Sufi Islam: Alternative Paths to Mystical Faith, edited by Sarwar Alam, ch. 2. Routledge, Abingdon.
Milani, Milad, and Vassilis Adrahtas 2018 Modern Talking: Sufi Socio-Political Discourse. Journal of Religious and Political Practice 4(2): 175–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/20566093.2018.1439813
Milani, Milad, and Drew Cottle 2018 Quest for Justice: Islamism, Social Justice, and Civility in Islamic History. Journal of Religious and Political Practice 4(3): 368–88.
Nelson, Eric S. 2014 Heidegger and Dilthey: Language, History, and Hermeneutics. In Horizons of Authenticity in Phenomenology, Existentialism, and Moral Psychology, edited by Hans Pedersen and Megan Altman, 109–28. Springer, Dordrecht.
Ricoeur, Paul 2008 [1970] Freud and Philosophy: An Essay on Interpretation. Denis Savage (trans.). Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.
Sheehan, Thomas 1986 The First Coming: How the Kingdom of God became Christianity. Crucible, Suffolk.
2015 Making Sense of Heidegger: A Paradigm Shift. Rowman & Littlefield, London.
Turner, Bryan S. 2013 Sociology of Islam: Collected Essays of Bryan S. Turner. Ashgate, Surrey.
Vermes, Geza 1993 The Religion of Jesus the Jew. SCM Press, London.
Published
2020-01-24
Issue
Section
Articles
License
Equinox Publishing Ltd.
How to Cite
Milani, M. (2020). Reflections on an Academic Pursuit of Religion. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 32(2-3), 182-195. https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.39808
