Edward Burnett Tylor, Religion and Culture

The chapters in this book address questions about Edward Tylor's work on culture and religion. Tylor's work is summarized briefly in most if not all introductions to the study of religion, yet there has been very little research focused on his work. Considered by many to be the founding father of social anthropology, he believed that there was a functional basis for the development of society and religion, which he considered to be universal.

This is the first book-length treatment of Tylor's work. Questions addressed include his theory of the origins of religion, the influence of his travels in Mexico and his importance for the anthropology of religion and related disciplines. Contemporary debates on animism, interpretative archaeology, historiography, as well as cognitive and evolutionary anthropology, are explored in this collection of research-led essays. The essays shed new light on the significance of Tylor for the arts and sciences of the late 19th century, as well as his relevance for contemporary interdisciplinary scholarship.

Paul-Francois Tremlett is Lecturer & Director of Research Degrees (Arts), The Open University, UK.

Graham Harvey is Reader in Religious Studies at The Open University, UK.

Liam Sutherland is Tutor in Religious Studies at the University of Edinburgh, UK