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Anthropology/Monotheism / Polytheism

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Expert: - 12/21/2008


Question
Monotheism / Polytheism, which came first?

Answer
Max Müller, Emile Durkheim, some neo-Darwinist theories describe that after animism, it was polytheism which came in to practice and then evolved polytheism in most of the cases (which include most of the great traditions or major religious trends). For example: comparative religion often shows that Judaism underwent a process of evolution from animism to polytheism to henotheism (the transitional stages from polytheism to monotheism) to monotheism. However, it is not applicable to Buddhism as it is neither considered as monotheism nor polytheism, rather a philosophy and a religion … at least to most of the followers of Buddhism. Also, it becomes confusing when we move to Sumerian and Egyptian evidences of religious artifacts.

What then? The issue is still in doubt! Nonetheless, the most recent evidence seems to indicate that monotheism was first and later expanded into both polytheism and animism … later few turned to monotheism.

Thanks and best regards.

Anthropology

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Gorkey Gourab

Expertise

Identity, ethnicity, anthropological theories, medial anthropology (social & behavioral aspects), psychology and anthropology, gender and sexuality, philosophy of social science, research design and analysis procedures, computer assisted qualitative data analysis and data management (using ATLAS.ti)

Experience

More than six years' professional research experience as Medical Anthropologist (in the field of HIV &AIDS, gender & sexuality etc.). Qualitative research, programmatic and M&E experience with MAPRs.

Organizations
International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) as Manager - M&E (Qualitative) at Laboratory Sciences Division

Publications
(1) Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., Gourab, G., & Bhuiya, A. (2009). Living on the extreme margin: Social exclusion of the hijra in Bangladesh. Journal of health, population and nutrition. (2) Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Gourab, G., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., & Sikder, J. (2008). Not to stigmatize but to humanize sexual lives of the transgender (Hijra) in Bangladesh: condom chat in the AIDS era. Journal of LGBT Health Research, 4(2-3), 127-141. (3) Khan, S. I., Pasa, K., Gourab, G., Hasan, A. M. R., Kaukab, S. S. T., & Islam, A. (2007a). Living with risks and vulnerabilities to STIs/HIV: a qualitative assessment of indigenous populations at the northwestern belt in Bangladesh. Paper presented at the ASCON: ICDDR,B, Dhaka, Bangladesh. From http://www.icddrb.org/images/11thAscon_Orals_Day2.pdf. (4) Gourab, G., Karim, M. S., & Karim, Z. (2004). Religiosity of the santal community. Paper presented at the International Seminar on Anthropology: Chittagong University, Chittagong, Bangladesh. (5) Khan, S. I., Gourab, G., Sarker, G. F., Ghosh, S., & Khondokar, S. I. (2008a). Mapping geographical and service delivery gaps and estimating size of street, hotel and residence based female sex workers in Bangladesh (draft report). Dhaka: ICDDR,B & Save the Children USA. (6) Khan, S. I., Gourab, G. et al. (2008b). Understanding the operational dynamics and possible HIV interventions for residence-based female sex workers in two divisional cities in Bangladesh (draft report). Dhaka: ICDDR,B & Save the Children USA. (7) Khan, S. I., Gourab, G. et al. (2007b). Understanding the context of risks and vulnerabilities to STI/HIV and sexual health: an anthropological assessment of the indigenous community of northwestern belt of Bangladesh. Dhaka: ICDDR,B. (8) Khan, S. I., Parveen, S., Hussain, M. I., Bhuiyan, M. I., & Gourab, G. (2007c). Socialization and sexuality constructions of hijra: implications for STIs/HIV intervention. Dhaka: ICDDR,B.

Education/Credentials
Post graduate in Anthropology.

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