The Economics of Ecstasy

Download or read book The Economics of Ecstasy written by Hugh B. Urban and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2001 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Urban shows that the case of the Kartabhajas opens many new insights not merely into the specific case of one minor Bengali cult, but also into much larger cross-cultural and theoretical issues, including the changing role of the lower class, marginalized groups under the changing conditions of colonialism, the changing role of Tantric traditions during the period of British rule, and the topic of secrecy as a cross-cultural category in the study of religion. Urban's reflections on the ethical and epistemological dilemmas involved in studying traditions that wish to remain secret will set a new standard for discussion of this controversial issue."--BOOK JACKET.