Goal, Theory, and Method

Abstract

In this chapter, I first elaborate the main goals and basic concepts of this study, providing an explanation of the term "devotional fitness." In a second step, I introduce the theoretical premises which form the basis of my approach to the field. These premises have been shaped by the approaches of two major theoretical perspectives, here summarized as "semiotics" and "somatics." While semiotics looks at the symbolic construction of social reality via verbal and non-verbal communication, somatics focuses on the role of the body and bodily perception in this same process. They are thus complementary perspectives which do not exclude but fruitfully complement each other. In the third part of this chapter, I outline how I collected and analyzed data in this project.