Doing Multidisciplinary Research on Religion: Methodological, Conceptual and Theoretical Challenges (International Studies in Religion and Society, 36)

Contents Figures Notes on Contributors Part 1: Introduction 1 Introducing the Book and Its Contributions 1 Who Defines the Frames of Multidisciplinary Research? - Research Ethical Dilemmas and Expectations References Part 2: How to Gather Knowledge – Multidisciplinarity in Theory and Practice 2 Organising Across Disciplinary Boundaries – Experiences of Challenges and Success Factors 1 Introduction 2 A Cumulative Research Process 3 Research on the Public Sector with the State-Church Project 4 In-depth European Comparative Research 5 Internationally Competitive Research Through Linnaeus Grants 6 Challenges and Success Factors 7 Building Multidisciplinarity over Time References 3 Complex Accounts: Reflexions on Defining and Measuring Religious Belonging 1 Introduction 2 How to Count Believers? 3 Belonging 4 A Fragile Relation 5 Variations of Intensity? 6 Believing? 7 Survey… 8 …or Membership Declaration? 9 From the Individual to the Group 10 Why Does It Matter? 11 Public Representation of Religions 12 Conclusion and Opening to Other Issues References 4 Layers of Misunderstandings? Considerations 1 Introduction 2 Starting Points 3 Common Decision-Making: Material, Methods and Theory 4 Outcomes and Process 5 Methodological Diversity – Challenge or Benefit? 6 Summarising Reflections References 5 Same Questions Different Answers: Experiences from Multidisciplinary Work in Law 1 Introduction 2 What to Call It? 3 Interdisciplinary Research in Practice 4 Lessons and Suggestions 5 Conclusion References Part 3: Who Defines the Frames 6 Historical Perspectives for the Study of Religion 1 Introduction 2 Why Historical Perspective? 3 Estonia’s Religious Situation in Historical Perspective 4 Religious Tolerance Throughout History 5 Conclusion References 7 Pros and Cons in Multidisciplinary Research on Religion 1 Multidisciplinary Research on New Religions 2 A Multidisciplinary Research Platform: Religion in the 21st Century 3 The Aftermath of Religion in the 21th Century 4 The Multidisciplinary Group of Four from Religion in the 21th Century 5 Multidisciplinary Research in the Wake of Religion in the 21st Century 6 What Money Can’t Buy 7 A Multidisciplinary Cross-over between Sociology of Religion and Micro-Economics 8 Conclusions from Experiences in Multidisciplinary Research on Religion References 8 Observations on the International Character of Research: a Reflective Approach to Management 1 Cross-Cultural Management: Some Problematic Assumptions 2 The International: an Added Value? 3 The International: How Does It Enter the Scene? 4 A Dialogical and Reflective Approach 5 Concluding Remarks and a Way Forward References 9 Curiosity or Career and Finance Driven? Motivating Factors and Stumbling Blocks 1 A Long-Term Research Agenda and Multidisciplinary Educational and Research Agenda 2 Stumbling Blocks 2.1 National Strike 2.2 The Growth of Fixed Contracts 2.3 The Travail of Applying for Grants and Funding 2.4 Time-Consuming 2.5 Celebrities and Loosers 2.6 Health Issues 2.7 Educational Grants 2.8 Keeping All the Balls in the Air 2.9 Alienation of Moral Responsibilities 2.10 Meeting Expectations 3 Motivating Factors 3.1 Multidisciplinary Teamwork 3.2 Meeting Expectations 3.3 A Spirit of Cooperation 3.4 Financial Alternatives 3.5 Love and Passion 4 Finalisation References 10 From Multidisciplinarity to Transdisciplinarity and Back Again... 1 The Landscape Formed by Research Politics 2 The National Landscape – the Swedish Case 3 The Impact of Local Research Strategies and Governance 4 Definitions 5 Communication, Compromise and Clarity 6 Building Trust 7 Complementary Goals 8 Participatory Transdisciplinarity – a Working Model 9 Concluding Reflections References 11 Current Research Methodological 1 Overview of the Situation in Mental Health and Public Mental Health 2 Existential Meaning in Cultural Context- a Working Concept for Public Mental Health 3 Existential Meaning and Meaning-Making Processes in the Development of Public Mental Health Promotion Frameworks and Methods 4 Application of the ADAPT Model and Existential Meaning into a Research Method on Biographical Network Mapping 5 Concluding Remarks References 12 Religion and Diversity: Multidisciplinarity, Transdisciplinarity and Complex Futures 1 Defining the Terms of Engagement: What Is Multidisciplinarity? 2 The Mechanics of Multidisciplinarity 2.1 Choosing Collaborators and Advisors 2.2 Difference as Opportunity 2.3 The Difference between Guiding and Controlling 2.4 Unexpected Gifts 2.5 Deliverables 2.6 Policy and Non-Academic Relevance 2.7 Student Training 3 Turning Our Multidisciplinary Energies to the Future—Bringing It Back to Religion References Index