Misreading America: scriptures and difference

"MisReading America presents original research on and conversation about reading formations in American communities of color, using the phenomenon of the reading of scriptures--''scripturalizing''--as an analytical wedge. Scriptures here are understood as shorthand for complex social phenomena, practices, and dynamics. The authors take up scripturalizing as a window onto the self-understandings, politics, practices, and orientations of marginalized communities. These communities have in common the context that is the United States, with the challenges it holds for all regarding: pressure to conform to conventional-canonical forms of communication, representation, and embodiment (mimicry); opportunities to speak back to and confront and overturn conventionality (interruptions); and the need to experience ongoing meaningful and complex relationships (reorientation) to the centering politics, practices, and myths that define ''America.''"--

"MisReading America presents original research on and conversation about reading formations in American communities of color, using the phenomenon of the reading of scriptures--''scripturalizing''--as analytical wedge. Scriptures here are understood and as shorthand for complex social phenomena, practices, and dynamics. The authors take up scripturalizing as a window onto the self-understandings, politics, practices, and orientations of marginalized communities. These communities have in common the context that is the United States, with the challenges it holds for all regarding: pressure to conform to conventional-canonical forms of communication, representation, and embodiment (mimicry); opportunities to speak back to and confront and overturn conventionality (interruptions); and the need to experience ongoing meaningful and complex relationships (reorientation) to the centering politics, practices, and myths that define ''America.''"--

""Cover""; ""Contents""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""Contributors""; ""INTRODUCTION: Knowing Ex-centrics/Ex-centric Knowing""; ""CHAPTER 1 Native Evangelicals and Scriptural Ethnologies""; ""CHAPTER 2 Scriptures as Sundials in African American Lives""; ""CHAPTER 3 Reading the Word in America: US Latino/a Religious Communities and Their Scriptures""; ""CHAPTER 4 Asian Americans, Bible Believers: An Ethnological Study""; ""CHAPTER 5 Maronite Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Sunni Muslims from the Arab Region: Between Empire, Racialization, and Assimilation""

""Appendix 1 Chapter 1 Research Information""""Appendix 2.1 Chapter 4 Interview Questionnaire""; ""Appendix 2.2 Chapter 4 Collaborators/Research Team Members""; ""Appendix 2.3 Chapter 4 Interviewee List (with Pseudonyms)""; ""Appendix 3 Chapter 5 Interviewee List (with Pseudonyms)""; ""Bibliography""; ""Index""; ""A""; ""B""; ""C""; ""D""; ""E""; ""F""; ""G""; ""H""; ""I""; ""J""; ""K""; ""L""; ""M""; ""N""; ""O""; ""P""; ""Q""; ""R""; ""S""; ""T""; ""U""; ""V""; ""W""; ""X""; ""Y""; ""Z""