Indigenization And The Study Of Chinese Religion And Society

Abstract

This chapter explores the possibility of indigenized social research, particularly how the methodological approaches and practices of sociology and anthropology could shed light on the study of Chinese religion and society. It elaborates on four approaches to indigenization according to the classification of William Liu, and comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches. The chapter also focuses on the question of religious identity. It explains the relationship between indigenized social research and the building of religious identity with reference to the theoretical framework suggested by Nancy Ammerman. Finally, the chapter proposes an agenda of indigenized social research on Chinese religion and society. The mission of indigenization is a long-term project needing generations of sociologists to take part in it in order to achieve this ultimate goal. Keywords: Chinese religion; Chinese society; mission of indigenization; Nancy Ammerman; religious identity; William Liu