Sociology of Religion Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Religion : Overview and Analysis of ContemporaryReligion

The first sociology of religion textbook to begin the task of diversifying and decolonizing the study of religion, __Sociology of Religion__ develops a sociological frame that draws together the personal, political and public, showing how religion – its origins, development and changes – is understood as a social institution, influenced by and influencing wider social structures. Organized along sociological structures and themes, the book works with examples from a variety of religious traditions and regions rather than focusing in depth on a selection, and foregrounds cultural practice-based understandings of religion. It is therefore a book about ‘religion’, not ‘religions’, that explores the relationship of religion with gender and sexuality, crime and violence, generations, politics and media, ‘race’, ethnicity and social class, disease and disability – highlighting the position of religion in social justice and equality. Each chapter of this book is framed around concrete case studies from a variety of Western and non-Western religious traditions. Students will benefit from thinking about the discipline across a range of geographical and religious contexts. The book includes features designed to engage and inspire students: * Up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of engaging and accessible material * ‘Case Examples’: short summaries of empirical examples relating to the chapter themes * Visually distinct boxes with bullet points, key words and phrases focusing on the context * Questions suitable for private or seminar study * Suggested class exercises for instructors to use * Suggested readings and further readings/online resources at the end of each chapter Following a review and critique of early sociology of religion, the book engages with more contemporary issues, such as dissolving the secular/sacred binary and paying close attention to issues of epistemology, negotiations, marginalities, feminisms, identities, power, nuances, globalization, (post) (multiple) modernity (ies), emotion, structuration, reflexivity, intersectionality and urbanization. This book is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students exploring the sociology of religion, religion and society, religious studies, theology, globalization and human geography. The first sociology of religion textbook to begin the task of diversifying and decolonizing the study of religion, Sociology of Religion develops a sociological frame that draws together the personal, political and public, showing how religion â•• its or Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of contents 6 Preface 8 Part I Mapping the field 12 Chapter 1 What is a sociology of religion? 14 Inventing sociology 15 Materialism and the social 17 From material to meaning 21 Durkheim and the social collective 24 The function of religion 26 Notes 28 Indicative reading 28 Chapter 2 How do we know what we know? 31 Introduction 31 Religion is ‘man’ made 33 Questioning the questioner 34 Sociology of religion and ethnography 39 Asking questions 40 Surveys 41 Ethics and method 45 Note 46 Indicative reading 46 Chapter 3 The contemporary religious landscape: Retreat, reinvention and resurgence 49 Introduction 49 Retreat 50 Reinvention 55 New religious movements 57 Resurgence 60 Notes 64 Indicative reading 64 Part II Religion and its publics 68 Chapter 4 Politics and religion 70 Introduction 70 Locating the study of politics and religion 70 At stake is the state: sharing the load 71 Religion and nationalism 75 Religion and politics by census 79 Notes 83 Indicative reading 83 Chapter 5 Violence and crime 86 Introduction 86 Defining religious violence 86 Religious genocide 88 Religious terrorism 90 Suicide bombing 94 Religious response to crime 95 Creating the criminal subject 96 Note 97 Indicative reading 98 Chapter 6 Policing religion: Religious equality, social justice and the law 100 Introduction 100 What are ‘human rights’? 100 The public, the private: are human rights sacred? 105 The role of the state in human rights 107 Human rights and religion: case examples 107 Right to education 107 Right to work with religious beliefs 108 Courts compared: the ECHR and Supreme Court (USA) 109 The right to rights 111 ‘Rights’ and the conservative/liberal divide 112 Note 113 Indicative reading 113 Part III Contested borders 116 Chapter 7 Gender and sexuality 118 Introduction 118 The body in the sociology of religion 118 Defying definition 120 On power 121 Adapting and resisting 123 Saving and surrendering ‘self’ 127 Note 133 Indicative reading 133 Chapter 8 Generations 136 ‘Generation’: a contested concept 138 Age and alcohol 138 Age and voting 138 Age and marriage 138 Age and military service 139 Age and religious change 140 The ‘baby-boomer’ effect 143 Young people retaining and reviving religion 145 Religion, youth and politics 147 Notes 149 Indicative reading 149 Chapter 9 ‘Race’, ethnicity, social class 153 Introduction 153 ‘Race’ 153 From ‘race’ to ethnicity 157 Explaining racism 159 Identity politics 161 Social class 163 Note 166 Indicative reading 166 Part IV Is nothing, or everything, sacred? 170 Chapter 10 Religion and media 172 Religion, media and changing times 172 Media and the role of the state 176 Digital religious spaces 182 Indicative reading 186 Chapter 11 Disease, disability and the religious response 189 Introduction 189 The religious ‘problem’ 191 Multiple healing agents 194 Care versus cure 196 Miraculous healing 198 Religion, disability and stigma 201 Notes 202 Indicative reading 203 Chapter 12 Future religion: Nones and beyond 205 Introduction 205 Noting the ‘nones’ 206 Everyday ghosts: a ‘secular’, social, sensuous supernatural 211 Spiritual but not religious? 218 Notes 220 Indicative reading 221 Index 225 "The first sociology of religion textbook to begin the task of diversifying and decolonizing the study of religion, Sociology of Religion develops a sociological frame that draws together the personal, political and public, showing how religion - its origins, development and changes - is understood as a social institution, influenced by and influencing wider social structures. Organized along sociological structures and themes, the book works with examples from a variety of religious traditions and regions rather than focusing in depth on a selection, and foregrounds cultural practice-based understandings of religion. It is therefore a textbook about 'religion', not 'religions', that explores the relationship of religion with gender and sexuality, crime and violence, generations, politics and media, 'race', ethnicity and social class, disease and disability - highlighting the position of religion in social justice and equality. Each chapter of this book is framed around concrete case studies from a variety of Western and non-Western religious traditions. Students will benefit from thinking about the discipline across a range of geographical and religious contexts. The book includes features designed to engage and inspire students"-- Provided by publisher The first sociology of religion textbook to begin the task of diversifying and decolonizing the study of religion, this book develops a sociological frame that draws together the personal, political and public, showing how religion is understood as a social institution, influenced by and influencing wider social structures.