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Roundtable on the sociology of religion: Twenty-three theses on the status of religion in American sociology-A mellon working-group reflection
Smith, Christian Vaidyanathan, Brandon Ammerman, Nancy Tatom Casanova, José Davidson, Hilary Ecklund, Elaine Howard Evans, John H. Gorski, Philip S. Konieczny, Mary Ellen Springs, Jason A.
Smith, Christian
Vaidyanathan, Brandon
Ammerman, Nancy Tatom
Casanova, José
Davidson, Hilary
Ecklund, Elaine Howard
Evans, John H.
Gorski, Philip S.
Konieczny, Mary Ellen
Springs, Jason A.
Abstract
[Extract] American sociology has not taken and does not take religion as seriously as it needs to in order to do the best sociology possible. Despite religion being an important and distinctive kind of practice in human social life, both historically and in the world today, American sociologists often neglect religion or treat it redtionistically. We explore several reasons for this negligence, focusing on key historical, conceptual, methodological, and institutional factors. We then turn to offer a number of proposais to help remedy American sociology’s negligence of religion, advance the study of religion in particular, and enhance sociology’s broader disciplinary capacity to improve our understanding and explanation of human social life. Our purpose in this analysis is to stimulate critical and constructive discussion about the significance of religion in human life and scholarly research on it.
Keywords
religion and sociology, theory of knowledge, sociology, religion and culture, religion and politics, institutions, organizational sociology, scholars, interdisciplinary study, globalization, religion, scholarly publishing, intellectual life, United States
Date
2013
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Religion
Book
Volume
81
Issue
4
Page Range
903-938
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled