What Religion Can Be: Mongolian Classifications, Comparative Perspectives, and a Global View

Abstract

This article highlights some important conclusions in Karénina Kollmar-Paulenz’s study, “Lamas and Shamans,” and offers some reflections on its relevance for the study of religion more broadly. It argues that comparing the Tibetan/Mongolian process of creating a classification system for religion(s) with the parallel and analogous process in “Western” discourses can yield important insights, especially for the endeavor of category formation, which is crucial in Religious Studies.