Religion and Contemporary Issues

The anthology Religion and Contemporary Issues: Politics, Ecology, and Women’s Rights explores three areas of life in which religion has a profound impact: political policy; ecology; and women's rights. Through the lens of six religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – the carefully curated articles address some of contemporary society's most challenging issues.The articles expose readers to diverse opinions, while original introductions to the issues and the religions help place the articles in context. Students learn about Christian fundamentalism and its relationship to postmodern ecology. They explore Jain devotional literature and how femaleness is constructed within it. They consider the potential transformational effect of devotion in Hinduism.Religion and Contemporary Issues encourages readers to think critically about how the power of religion both shapes and frames important issues. Its cogent presentation makes the material appropriate for lower division religious studies courses. With its careful attention to global women's rights, the book is also well-suited to courses in women's studies.

Ivanessa Arostegui earned her master's degree in religious studies at Florida International University, where she is currently a faculty member in the religious studies department. Professor Arostegui's course offerings include introduction to religion and studies in world religions. She has contributed to the Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices and Making Waves, a publication on women's studies.