Problems of Citation in the Study of Religion: Who Do We Cite and Why?

This special issue introduction contributes to emerging discussions on citation in studies of religion. What particular issues of citation arise in cultural, historical, and textual research on religious traditions? What can the study of religion contribute to the study of citation? Weaving together references to the four articles of the special issue, we identify four citational themes that are particularly relevant to the study of religion: the continuing reverberations of colonization; relations to and in canonical traditions; the conjunction of morality and economy in neoliberal academic contexts; and the knowledge that comes from naming and interacting with a wider range of sources, such as ancestors. Finally, in the conclusion we argue for a relational ethics of citation in the study of religion.