Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Religion: A Methodological Reflection from Bangladesh

The academic study of religion has long been shaped by single-discipline approaches, whether theological, historical, sociological, or phenomenological, each illuminating one dimension of religious life while leaving others unexamined. This article offers a methodological reflection on interdisciplinary approaches to the study of religion, using Bangladesh as its primary context. It asks how the integration of theology, history, sociology, anthropology, and political and economic analysis can yield a fuller understanding of a religiously plural society. Drawing on a qualitative, analytical, and library-based methodology, it first clarifies the concept, scope, and theoretical foundations of interdisciplinary religious study. It then traces methodological development from classical Muslim traditions through the nineteenth-century science of religion, social-scientific approaches, phenomenology, and critical and postcolonial turns. The analysis examines Bangladesh's religious diversity, Sufi-influenced historical development, social and cultural practices, the political and economic dimensions of religion, and the state of religious education and research. The study identifies challenges, including disciplinary fragmentation, limited methodological training, and institutional separation between religious and social-science departments, and proposes practical measures. It argues that interdisciplinary methodology strengthens depth, reduces reductionism, and supports constructive engagement among religious communities. The article concludes that Bangladesh offers a valuable model for developing context-sensitive, integrative approaches in religious studies.