Jewish custom and ritual, or their Hebrew equivalent, minhag, has intrigued rabbis and scholars for generations. The majority of the rabbinical works devoted to minhag primarily encompass lists of sou
Stories centering on the lovelorn ghost (Mae Nak) and the magical monk (Somdet To) are central to Thai Buddhism. Historically important and emotionally resonant, these characters appeal to every class
Zigon (anthropology, U. of Amsterdam) and 11 contributors offer a variety of perspectives on the "social and political upheaval" and the critical questioning of the long-held moral and ethical mindset
Sociologists mostly in the US address the problem of history within the disciplinary boundaries of the sociology of religion. Their topics include places for history in the sociology of religion, the
This book reflects the wide-spread belief that the twenty-first century is evolving in a significantly different way to the twentieth, which witnessed the advance of human rationality and technologica
This book reflects the wide-spread belief that the twenty-first century is evolving in a significantly different way to the twentieth, which witnessed the advance of human rationality and technologica
During the 1990s, a social history of the century of Baha'i in Canada was written, and Echevarria (women's and gender studies, Yukon College, Canada) augments it with a sociological account of women's
An ethnographic study of the transnational and multicultural expansion of Vietnam’s Mother Goddess Religion and its spirit possession ritual, this book is the product of collaborative research by an A
This introductory textbook covers the central theories and methods of research in the sociology of religion. The overall framework of the text is the open systems model, which stresses both structure
Religion is now high on the public agenda, with recent events focusing the world's attention on Islam in particular. This book provides a unique historical and comparative analysis of the place of religion in the emergence of modern secular society. Bryan S. Turner considers the problems of multicultural, multi-faith societies and legal pluralism in terms of citizenship and the state, with special emphasis on the problems of defining religion and the sacred in the secularisation debate. He explores a range of issues central to current debates: the secularisation thesis itself, the communications revolution, the rise of youth spirituality, feminism, piety and religious revival. Religion and Modern Society contributes to political and ethical controversies through discussions of cosmopolitanism, religion and globalisation. It concludes with a pessimistic analysis of the erosion of the social in modern society and the inability of new religions to provide 'social repair'.
Religion is now high on the public agenda, with recent events focusing the world's attention on Islam in particular. This book provides a unique historical and comparative analysis of the place of religion in the emergence of modern secular society. Bryan S. Turner considers the problems of multicultural, multi-faith societies and legal pluralism in terms of citizenship and the state, with special emphasis on the problems of defining religion and the sacred in the secularisation debate. He explores a range of issues central to current debates: the secularisation thesis itself, the communications revolution, the rise of youth spirituality, feminism, piety and religious revival. Religion and Modern Society contributes to political and ethical controversies through discussions of cosmopolitanism, religion and globalisation. It concludes with a pessimistic analysis of the erosion of the social in modern society and the inability of new religions to provide 'social repair'.
The Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of Religion draws on the expertise of an international team of scholars providing both an entry point into the sociological study and understanding of religion and
The twentieth century has been marked by an unprecedented outburst of religious activity on a world-wide scale, and in particular by a mushrooming of numerous religious movements. This work, first pub
The decline in power, popularity, and prestige of religion across the modern world is not a short-term or localized trend nor is it an accident. It is a consequence of subtle but powerful features of
"Better than celebrity biographer Kitty Kelley, Kathryn Lofton exposes Oprah's secret--the religious resonance of her persona in popular culture. Brilliantly orchestrated, full of ah-ha and light-bulb
"Better than celebrity biographer Kitty Kelley, Kathryn Lofton exposes Oprah's secret--the religious resonance of her persona in popular culture. Brilliantly orchestrated, full of ah-ha and light-bulb
Holy Harlots examines the intersections of social marginality, morality, and magic in contemporary Brazil by analyzing the beliefs and religious practices related to the Afro-Brazilian spirit entity
Based on vivid and colorful case studies about Mafiosi, priests, mothers, and migrants, the author offers new perspectives on the anthropology of religion and magic through categories of landscape, t
Secularization and Its Discontents provides an illuminating overview of major current debates in the sociology of religion, exploring changing patterns of religious practice in the West during the pas
Throughout this compelling investigation, Eller locates himself and remains firmly planted on that narrow patch of middle ground between blaming all violence on religion and claiming that religion is