Critical Theory and Discourses on Religion Unit and Space, Place, and Religion Unit

Theorizing Space and Place in Religion: Foucault’s Heterotopias.

Michel Foucault labeled counter-spaces that influence, contest, mirror, and invert as heterotopias, in contrast to utopias. Even though such places exist in reality, they are at the same time other and outside of mainstream society. Such spaces naturally align with religious practices such as asceticism, mysticism, and eschatology, which all contest authority and orthodoxy, in sacred places such as deserts and mountains. We are seeking contributions on such heterotopias and reflections on its meaning for this panel. Contact: Brooke Schedneck (schedneckb@rhodes.edu)