SCM Core Text Sociology of Religion : Sociology of Religion

Sociology of Religion is an increasingly popular component of courses in religious studies at undergraduate level. While most textbooks on the Sociology of Religion are written from a sociological background, this new student-friendly textbook aims to introduce the field and the subjects studied by sociologists of religion to students with a background in theology and religious studies. " ... introduces a range of themes and issues central to traditional debates and contemporary discussions about the character and place of religion in modern society. The book is written with non-specialists in mind, avoids technical jargon and is logically structured into ten themed chapters accompanied by suggestions for further reading"--Publisher's description, p. [4] of cover Andrew Dawson outlines how sociologists approach the subject of religion and introduces sociological research methods, before highlighting some of the key areas studied by sociology of religion such as the rise of fundamentalism, gender issues and the debate about secularisation.