Markets at sacred sites: the globalized mobility and informality of the Armenian religious fairs |
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Authors: | Yulia Antonyan |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Cultural Studies, Faculty of History, Yerevan State University, Armeniayuliaantonyan@ysu.am |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACTAlong with other globalizing forces such as migration and proselytism, religious markets have played a key role in the transformation of religious practices in Armenia. This article focuses on the intersection of mobility and markets through mobile fairs, which are temporarily organized at shrines on pilgrimage days. Market vendors tend to travel from shrine to shrine across Armenia throughout the year, each following his or her own trajectory. In this article I examine how such markets are organized, how and by whom they are run and controlled, how small-scale mono-confessional markets become part of transnational globalization processes, and how the marketplace is embedded in the pilgrimage ritual, changing and modernizing its traditional meanings and structure. |
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Keywords: | Market religion Armenia Christianity pilgrimage informality globalization |
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