Contesting rituals

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"This book fills a current need in Islamic studies for a perspective on the nuanced investigation of ritual practices rather than a concentration on politicized forms of ideology. The essays in this volume, all written by scholarly specialists with first-hand fieldwork experience, take up a number of questions central to Islamic religion and ritual, focusing on rituals as practices of making identities. Identities are seen as pluralistic rather than monolithic. Several of the essays deal with gender relations, showing that women may in practice gain prominence in local contexts. This is particularly the case when the focus is on forms of Sufism. The essays also recognize that elements of conflict and contestation are commonly present in ritual contexts because of struggles over power. Overall the volume aims to show the multiplicity of Islam and to demonstrate how the themes of multiplicity and unity are played out continuously over time."--Jacket.