Response paper to Interpretation of Culture (Theories of Religion and Society )

The most interesting explanation from Geertz is about Thick Description. It is a way to depict in-depth, an approach to understand, interpret, and explain (not merely observed) phenomena, events, ideas, social customs or anything (religion, politics, etc.) that prioritizes the depth data from the various aspects of the phenomenon, which are often bizarre, irregular, and not explicit as much as possible to understand the objects that are not superficial and shallow.

 Based on that, Geertz defines culture as a system of meaning. One of his concepts is about religion. The concept of religion is not merely understood as a system of divinity / theology, but as an embodiment of the cultural system. According to him, religion is a system of symbols that make up the feelings and desires in man, the conception of governance that has a nuance of real existence, so the feelings that seem realistic.

 Geertz has given many donations for understanding the relationship between religion and culture, especially in Java. Although many critics have been directed to his definition about religion and culture, no doubt that he is the most famous anthropologist who will be a reference for many researches in Java.