Bringing Back the Social into the Sociology of Religion

The contributors to Bringing Back the Social into the Sociology of Religion explore how 'bringing the social back into the sociology of religion' makes possible a more adequate sociological understanding of such topics as power, emotions, the self, or ethnic relations in religious life. In particular, they do so by engaging with social theories and addressing issues of epistemology and scientific reflexivity. The chapters of this book cover a range of different religious traditions and regions of the world such as Sufism in Pakistan; the Kabbalah Centre in Europe, Brazil and Israel; African Christian missions in Europe; and Evangelical Christianity in France and Oceania. They are based upon original empirical research, making use of a range of methods - quantitative, ethnographic and documentary.

Contributors are: Véronique Altglas, Peter Doak, Yannick Fer, Gwendoline Malogne-Fer, Christophe Monnot, Eric Morier-Genoud, Alix Philippon, Matthew Wood.

Publication date: September 24, 2019

Table of Contents

Preface

List of Illustrations

Notes on Contributors

Introduction: An Epistemology for the Sociology of Religion

1. Protestant Churches and Same-Sex Marriage in France: "Theological" Criteria and Sociological Approaches
2. Deconstructing Archer's (Un)Critical Realism
3. Spirituality and Discipline: Not a Contradiction in Terms
4. Congregational Studies, Worship and Region Behaviour
5. Unmasking the Relations of Power within the Religious Field
6. An Affective (U-)Turn in the Sociology of Religion? Religious Emotions and Native Narratives
7. "Reverse Mission": A Critical Approach for a Problematic Subject
8. "We are Peace-Loving People." Sufism, Orientalist Constructions of Islam and Radicalization

Index