India, the Western Traditions

doi:10.1017/9781108771122.014

14 - India, the Western Traditions

The Psychology of Religion up to 2020

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 May 2026

Chetna Duggal ,

Jyothsna Chandur ,

Sadhvi Krishnamoorthy and

Edited by

Üzeyir Ok ,

Wellington Zangari and

Meleah L. Ladd

Show author details

Kevin L. Ladd: Affiliation:
Indiana University South Bend
Jayanti Basu: Affiliation:
University of Calcutta
Valerie DeMarinis: Affiliation:
Uppsala Universitet, Sweden
Üzeyir Ok: Affiliation:
Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University
Wellington Zangari: Affiliation:
Universidade de São Paulo
Meleah L. Ladd: Affiliation:
Indiana University South Bend

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Summary

We present historical background, contemporary status, and potential future development of the psychology of religion (PoR) in India (Western traditions), beginning with its origins: the formative people, places, and various intellectual schools of thought. Writing about the current state of the topic, we reflect on influential factors that are either facilitating or inhibiting the study of PoR, including publication options, topical emphases, practitioners, orientations, methodologies, and professional organizations.

We offer opinions concerning future development topics that are emerging as important in the immediate future and/or are perennially important in order to stimulate creative and useful research including Western theoretical relevance, the extent to which Western PoR theories may or may not contain reasonable expectations and concepts for this region, contextual nuances, Indigenous theoretical concerns, collaborative research opportunities, and common faux pas – reflections on what people unfamiliar with this region commonly and incorrectly assume about conducting PoR work in this context.

Keywords

psychology of religion India methodologies cross-cultural research cultural psychology Eastern traditions Western traditions integration of psychology and theology multicultural issues philosophy positive psychology religion spirituality science and religion

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Handbook of the International Psychology of Religion , pp. 225 - 251

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108771122.014 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2026

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