A book that changed the discourse of politics and religions : in the case of God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens

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Title:	A book that changed the discourse of politics and religions : in the case of God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens
Other Titles:	一本改變政治與宗教論述的書 : 克里斯多福 . 希鈞斯著《上帝沒什麼了不起》
Authors:	陳英哲;Chen, Ying-Che
Contributors:	淡江大學美洲研究所碩士班紀舜傑;Ji, Shun-Jie
Keywords:	宗教;美國總統大選;克里斯多福・希鈞斯;出版;Religion;Christopher Hitchens;Presidential election;Publishing
Date:	2016
Issue Date:	2017-08-24 23:59:50 (UTC+8)
Abstract:	《上帝沒什麼了不起：揭露宗教中的邪惡力量》（God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything）出版於2007年5月，作者克里斯多福・希鈞斯（Christopher Hitchens）在書中認為：宗教介入現今世界過多而帶來危險。希鈞斯於書出版前一個月成為美國公民，他特別選在他的生日4月13日，也是協助寫下許多美國政治基石，且曾任美國總統的湯瑪斯・傑佛遜（Thomas Jefferson）的生日舉行成為美國公民的儀式。基督教福音教派（evangelical）在政治上的影響，在二次喬治・W・布希（George W. Bush）的總統選舉中，成為媒體與大眾談論的焦點。傑佛遜（Thomas Jefferson）在《人權法案》（Bill of Rights）成為後來的《美國憲法第一條修正案》（First Amendment to the United States Constitution）中所立下的「政教分離」藩籬，在這個時間點上被挑戰，成為近代美國立國人權精神有所爭議的明確現象。希鈞斯在書中推崇「無神論」（atheism），卻也在坦承無神論在現世無法達成，當前大多民主國家有共識的「世俗主義」（secularism），他認為並不能解決宗教對政治所造成的影響。其實希鈞斯在這本書中並非直接點明當時宗教在美國政治上的實際影響；然而此書的暢銷程度，與書所引起相關的書評與討論，清楚透露在大眾心目中的政治思考，宗教在其中扮演的角色具一定影響力，也對人民投票有所影響。此論文為一案例研究，整理此書的書評與相關評論出版，與銷售狀態，透過雙重角度：出版與圖書市場所扮演的媒體角色；對此書的反應與討論，與2000-2008期間相關宗教介入政治的討論。進而嘗試找出在選民心中宗教在當時影響政治的程度，是否可透過投票決定而印證。 In May 2007, British born writer Christopher Hitchens published God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, arguing that the role of religion involved in the world was getting increasingly dangerous. Hitchens became an American citizen on April 13th, his birthday which coincidentally also was Thomas Jefferson’s. Hitchens was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2010, and died in December 2011. During the two presidential campaigns of George W. Bush, the influence of evangelical Christian was a major topic in media and among general public. The possible breakdown of the wall between church and state set up by Thomas Jefferson in The Bill of Rights was challenged, or being compromised in the most apparent way in recent history. Hitchens stood for atheism, and promoted the idea in order to solve the problems that religions carry in the contemporary world. He was aware how impossible it was to make all religions disappear. In the book, Hitchens did not agree that the common belief between most democratic countries, secularism could be the solution because of the exclusiveness of religions. Although Hitchens’ book did not address directly on how the role of religion infiltrated in the politics in the U.S.; however, the success of the book sales and reviews that it inspired showed some strong evidence that the religious matter was an important key to the people’s minds when they thought of politics, which was realized in their voting behaviors. This research is a case study that reviews the reviews and sales records of the title. It serves duo purposes by discussing the importance of book market and publishing as part of media power; and how the reactions and discussions of the title by Hitchens reflected popular opinions as a phenomenon that religion was a matter of concern in public’s minds between 2000 and 2008.
Appears in Collections:	[Graduate Institute of the Americas] Thesis

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