After an explosion of conversions to Pentecostalism over the past three decades, tens of millions of Nigerians now claim that 'Jesus is the answer'. But if Jesus is the answer, what is the question? What led to the movement's dramatic rise and how can we make sense of its social and political significance? In this ambitiously interdisciplinary study, Ruth Marshall draws on years of fieldwork and grapples with a host of important thinkers - including Foucault, Agamben, Arendt, and Benjamin - to answer these questions. To account for the movement's success, Marshall explores how Pentecostalism presents the experience of being born again as a chance for Nigerians to realize the promises of political and religious salvation made during the colonial and post colonial eras. Her astute analysis of this religious trend sheds light on Nigeria's contemporary politics, post colonial statecraft, and the everyday struggles of ordinary citizens coping with poverty, corruption, and inequality. Pentecostalism's rise is truly global, and "Political Spiritualities" persuasively argues that Nigeria is a key case in this phenomenon while calling for new ways of thinking about the place of religion in contemporary politics.

About the Author
Ruth Marshall is assistant professor in the Department and Centre for the Study of Religion and the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto.

Reviews
"This is one of the most original works in the social sciences that I've read in several years. Through her energetic prose, exceptional fieldwork, and mastery of the scientific literature, Marshall offers a new perspective on religious actions and social and political transformations in sub-Saharan Africa, while also making a major contribution to the historical and comparative sociology of religion." - Jean-Francois Bayart, author of The Illusion of Cultural Identity"



Book Information
ISBN 9780226507132
Author Ruth Marshall
Format Paperback
Page Count 360
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 539g
Dimensions(mm) 23mm * 15mm * 2mm