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For a Historical Grammar of Concepts
Chapter

For a Historical Grammar of Concepts

Abstract

The term political theology is not central to the oeuvre of the anthropologist Talal Asad; in fact, much of his work is dedicated to problematizing conceptual translations across “religion” and “politics.” Meanwhile, much contemporary literature in the growing interdisciplinary field of political theology cites and engages his wide-ranging work. The chapter presents two divergent examples to illustrate Asad’s approach to political theology: his analysis of French debates over schoolgirls’ wearing veils and his discussion of fear and suspicion after the Egyptian revolution. He notes a structural correspondence, only to turn to their differential results. In doing so, he invites us to think about how embodied traditions disclose forms of life under shifting conditions of power.

Authors

Iqbal BK; Odabaei M

Book title

Political Theology Reimagined

Pagination

pp. 115-127

Publisher

Duke University Press

Publication Date

July 25, 2025

DOI

10.1215/9781478061144-007
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