»Ersatz-/Quasi-Religion«: Zur Historisierung einer religionswissenschaftlichen Analysekategorie.

Quasi-Religion and the German Ersatzreligion are frequently used terms in everyday language and media as well as in academic literature. Still, they are hardly reflected or clearly defined categories. Therefore, this paper aims to critically investigate the category »Ersatz-/Quasi- Religion« based on its historization. Using ideas from Ernesto Laclau's and Chantal Mouffe's discourse theory and Michel Foucault's genealogy, many publications on »Ersatz-/Quasi- Religion« were examined in order to uncover hidden presumptions and interests. The historicalcritical reconstruction of the discourse shows how unity and identity of the category »Ersatz-/ Quasi-Religion« were and are materialized into social reality only through naming and repetition, in which effects of power always play an important role. In addition, it is shown that first members of the churches and theologians have created the category in a situation of competition and fear. Then, other disciplines, especially the sociology of religion, adopted this hegemonic closure in order to secure their own position and concepts. Finally, the article pleads for research within the subject of Religious Studies on the category »Ersatz-/Quasi-Religion« based on a conceptualization as it is proposed by the author in order to gain knowledge on the constitution of »religion«. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]