J.Z. Smith claimed comparison is by no means an innocent endeavor. Describe how this has been true in the history of religious studies, especially in the context of the analytical categories we have studied, including race, colonialism, and gender. Describe how you think we as academics, while never truly objective, can mitigate some of the worst ways comparison has been practiced (use the six guidelines for responsible comparison, reflectivity, and the insideroutsider problem).
