The African Religions of Brazil: Toward a Sociology of the Interpenetration of Civilizations

By Roger Bastide

Book Overview

Written by one of France's most brilliant and creative anthropologists, The African Religions of Brazil is regarded as a classic in Afro-American studies. First published in France in 1960, the book represents a singular effort to develop a theory of the interpenetrations of African, European, Christian, and non-Christian cultures in Brazil from colonial times to the present. Addressing a remarkable range of topics--from mysticism and syncretism to the problems of collective memory, from the history of slavery in Brazil to world-wide race relations--the work is shaped by the author's rich and original conceptual framework. The result is a compelling study of the origins and growth of a native religious environment.

The English translation is supplemented with a biographical foreword by Richard Price and a thematic introduction by Brazilian sociologist Duglas T. Monteiro.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801886244
• ISBN13: 9780801886249
• Release Date: June 2007
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Length: 494 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 22 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

EXCELLENT

This is excellent work by Bastide. Thorough sociological perspective on the syncretism of Catholicism and Africanism in Brazil. He uses a wealth of sources to support his brilliant thesis. Highly recommend for anyone interested in Candomble, or evolution of Afro-religious development in Brazil.