Global System Theory and ‘Market-friendly’ Religion

Bibliographic Data

ID12715987
AuthorsGabriel Ignatow (0000-0002-8091-6726, University of North Texas, corresponding author), Lindsey Johnson (0009-0000-6476-3611, University of North Texas), Ali Madanipour (0000-0002-9083-146X, Texas Woman's University)
Year2014
Volume11
Issue6
Pages827-841
Publication date2014-05-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobalizations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1474-7731 • E-ISSN: 1474-774X
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14747731.2014.904159
OpenAlexW2022456398
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited51

This article explores some implications of the interplay of neoliberal economic policy and religion for Leslie Sklair's global system theory (GST), and some implications of Sklair's theory for the study of contemporary religion. We first suggest that Sklair needlessly restricted his theory's scope by analyzing culture in terms of consumerist ideologies without systematic consideration of religious doctrines and practices. Second, based on studies of ‘market Islam’ and our own research on neo-Pentecostal Christianity in Guatemala, we argue that Sklair's notion of a transnational capitalist class is needed for an adequate understanding of the rapid growth of these religious movements. We conclude that GST can benefit from consideration of contemporary religious change, while the study of contemporary religion has perhaps even more to gain from theorizing the influence of transnational elites

Christianity · Contemporary theory · Economics · Epistemology · Ideology · Islam · Neoliberalism (international relations · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Scope (computer science · Sociology · Elite Sociology and Global Capitalism · Law · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Society, and Development · Religious studies

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