"In the French public sphere, Catholicism remains a monumental presence. It defines the temporal and spatial rhythms of Paris and yet it often fades into the background as nothing more than "heritage" in an otherwise secular nation. In a creative inversion, Elaine Oliphant asks in The Privilege of Being Banal what, exactly, is hiding in plain sight? Is the banality of Catholicism a kind of power? Oliphant's focus on the banal is exceptional in ethnographic studies of religion, which tend to seek out the spectacular. ...
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"In the French public sphere, Catholicism remains a monumental presence. It defines the temporal and spatial rhythms of Paris and yet it often fades into the background as nothing more than "heritage" in an otherwise secular nation. In a creative inversion, Elaine Oliphant asks in The Privilege of Being Banal what, exactly, is hiding in plain sight? Is the banality of Catholicism a kind of power? Oliphant's focus on the banal is exceptional in ethnographic studies of religion, which tend to seek out the spectacular. Focusing on the unremarked entails a radical disavowal of the view that there is anything natural or inevitable in Catholicism's banality, and indeed Oliphant unearths the ongoing efforts that contribute to the perception of Catholic symbols as subtly secular. Exploring the violent histories and alternate trajectories effaced through the contemporary banal, this richly textured ethnography lays bare the profound nostalgia that undergirds Catholicism's circulation in non-religious sites such as museums, corporate spaces, and political debates. Oliphant's aim is to unravel the contradictions between religion and secularism and, in the process, show how aesthetics and politics come together in contemporary France to foster the kind of banality that Hannah Arendt warned against: the incapacity to take on another person's experience of the world. A creative meditation on the power of the taken-for-granted, The Privilege of Being Banal is a landmark study of religion, aesthetics, and public space"--
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 280 p. Contains: Unspecified. Class 200: New Studies in Religion. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Fine. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 280 p. Contains: Unspecified. Class 200: New Studies in Religion. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
