大学共同利用機関法人 人間文化研究機構　国立民族学博物館

Objectives

The revival of religion is an important key to interpreting present multicultural situations that are characterized by increasing globalization.. This revival of religion has been attributed to numerous factors, including the cultural politics accompanying the advance of modernization, the revival of an Islam returning to its roots, and the rise of ethnicity and nationalism resulting from the collapse of socialist regimes. However, in today's contemporary society characterized by transborder conditions and fluidity, the question is why among all things should religion evidence such a strong revival trend. This, we believe, is a question that until now has not received sufficient explanation.

Based on this state of affairs, this research proposes to concentrate on the conditions in the multicultural societies of Inner Asia that have experienced systemic change and social transformations transcending borders so as to clarify the multi-dimensional mechanisms behind the religious revival. Specifically, we would like to elucidate the endemic historical-social and political-economic factors evident in the religious revival, the diverse relationship between transbordering and religious practices, and the meaning of the local/global revivals of religion to the people living in changing societies.