Science, belief and society : international perspectives on religion, non-religions and the public understanding of science

The relationship between science and belief has been a prominent subject of public debate for many years, covering everything from science communication, health and education to immigration and national values. Yet, sociological analysis of these subjects remains surprisingly scarce. This wide-ranging book critically reviews the ways in which religious and non-religious belief systems interact with scientific methods, traditions and theories. Contributors explore how, for some secularists, 'science' forms an important part of social identity. Others examine how many contemporary religious movements justify their beliefs by making a claim upon science. Moving beyond the traditional focus on the United States, the book shows how debates about science and belief are firmly embedded in political conflict, class, community and culture. Contents 4 List of Figures and Tables 6 Notes on Contributors 8 Editors’ Acknowledgements 14 Foreword • Grace Davie 16 Editors’ Introduction: Science, Belief and the Sociological Tradition • Stephen H. Jones, Tom Kaden and Rebecca Catto 20 PART I: Methodological Challenges in the Study of Scienceand Belief 38 1 The Sociological Study of Science and Religion in Context • Fern Elsdon-Baker and Will Mason-Wilkes 40 2 Survey-based Research on Science and Religion: A Review and Critique • Jonathan P. Hill 62 3 Language, Labels and Lived Identity in Debates about Science, Religion and Belief • Tom Kaden, Stephen H. Jones and Rebecca Catto 92 4 Researching Clergy Attitudes towards Science: A Reflective Account of Key Methodological Challenges • Lydia Reid 116 PART II: Belief in the Study of Science and Technology 138 5 From ‘Science and Religion’ to ‘Transcendence in Science’, or: What We Can Learn from the (History of) Science and Technology Studies • Silke Gülker 140 6 Rational Believers: Religion, Tradition and Spirituality among Indian Scientists • Renny Thomas 164 7 Muslim Perceptions of Biological Evolution: A Critical Review of Quantitative and Qualitative Research • Jessica Carlisle, Salman Hameed and Fern Elsdon-Baker 184 PART III: Science, Culture and Non-religion 208 8 Feeling Rational: Affinity and Affinity Narratives in British Science–Non-religion Relations • Lois Lee 210 9 Avoiding the ‘Anti-intellectual Abyss’: How Secular Humanists in Sweden try to Define the Boundaries between Science, Religion, Pseudoscience and Postmodernism • Susanne Kind 234 10 Atheism and the Social Sciences • Stephen LeDrew 260 PART IV: Religion, Conflict and Moderation 276 11 Science and the Unearned Virtues of the ‘Really Religious People’: Exploring the Association between Perceived Religiosity and Science Rejection among Students in the Midwestern United States • David E. Long 278 12 Discourses on Science and Islam: A View from Britain • Amy Unsworth 300 Conclusion: Future Directions in the Sociological Study of Science and Belief • Stephen H. Jones, Rebecca Catto and Tom Kaden 326 Index 336 The relationship between science and belief has been a prominent subject of public debate for many years, one that has relevance to everything from science communication, health and education to immigration and national values. Yet, sociological analysis of these subjects remains surprisingly scarce. This wide-ranging book critically reviews the ways in which religious and non-religious belief systems interact with scientific theories and practices. Contributors explore how, for some secularists, 'science' forms an important part of social identity. Others examine how many contemporary religious movements justify their beliefs by making a claim upon science. Moving beyond the traditional focus on the United States, the book shows how debates about science and belief are firmly embedded in political conflict, class, community and culture.|The relationship between science and belief has been a prominent subject of public debate for many years, one that has relevance to everything from science communication, health and education to immigration and national values. Yet, sociological analysis of these subjects remains surprisingly scarce. This wide-ranging book critically reviews the ways in which religious and non-religious belief systems interact with scientific theories and practices. Contributors explore how, for some secularists, 'science' forms an important part of social identity. Others examine how many contemporary religious movements justify their beliefs by making a claim upon science. Moving beyond the traditional focus on the United States, the book shows how debates about science and belief are firmly embedded in political conflict, class, community and culture. This wide-ranging text critically reviews the ways in which religious and non-religious belief systems interact with scientific methods, traditions and theories. Moving beyond the traditional focus on the United States, the text shows how debates about science and belief are firmly embedded in political conflict, class, community and culture