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List of contents
Foreword; Sociological perspectives on religion; Religion as a phenomenon - definitions and dimensions; Classical sociologists and their theories of religion; Religion in contemporary sociology and cultural analysis; The great narratives: modernity, postmodernity, globalization, and secularization; Religion in the public sphere; Individual religiosity; Religious organizations and movements; Religion, social unity, and conflict; Race, ethnicity, and religion; Religion and gender; Sociology, theology, and religious faith; Bibliography; Index.
About the author
Dr Inger Furseth is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Human Geography at the University of Oslo. She is the author of A Comparative Study of Social and Religious Movements in Norway 1780s-1905 (2003, Mellen Press). Her research centres on religious diversity, gender issues, social theory, and social and religious movements. Dr PÃ¥l Repstad is Professor in Sociology of Religion at Agder University College, Norway. He has conducted research and published in the fields of sociology of religion, social policy, and sociological methods. He is also the editor of Religion and Modernity. Modes of Co-Existence (1996, Scandinavian University Press).
Summary
Is it true that religion is weakening in modern times or are we facing religious resurgence? What is fundamentalism? This book addresses such questions. It provides an overview of sociological theories of contemporary religious life. It features several illustrations and examples, which are taken from various religious traditions.
