This collection provides vivid ethnographic explorations of particular, local Christianities as they are experienced by different groups around the world. At the same time, the contributors, all anthr
This collection provides vivid ethnographic explorations of particular, local Christianities as they are experienced by different groups around the world. At the same time, the contributors, all anth
Episodic or consistent unity between Islamic communities in the West has more to do with their current situation than with a shared religion or culture, argue social scientists. They challenge the not
Is it true that religion is weakening in modern times, or are we facing religious resurgence? What is fundamentalism? How does it emerge and grow? What role does religion play in ethnic and national c
From the perspectives of sociology, anthropology, and religious studies, scholars contribute to the emerging field of material expressions of religion, with case studies across time and space. They ap
A missionary in the Bolivian highlands wonders about whether people understand their own customs. Underpaid workers in a Christian nongovernmental organization based in Africa lose interest in their p
There is an increasing interest in religion and belief and the diverse forms these take in the contemporary world. This timely book provides a unique analysis of these issues through a discussion of t
This work examines the lives of urban young men recruited into one of the militias fighting in the civil war in the West African country of Guinea- Bissau in the late 1990s. Putting his ethnographic f
In Engaged Spirituality, Gregory C. Stanczak challenges this assumption, arguing that spirituality plays an important social role as well. Based on more than one hundred interviews with individuals
Through the concept of "social navigation," this book sheds light on the mobilization of urban youth in West Africa. Social navigation offers a perspective on praxis in situations of conflict and turm
Conceptually borrowing from Marxism and critical theory, Goldstein (sociology, U. of Central Florida) and associates aim to establish a critical theory of religion that can serve as an alternative to
It is widely acknowledged that the United States has al-ways provided fertile ground for the growth of new religious movements and cults, but modern organized efforts to oppose and restrict them have
Peter Beyer, a distinguished sociologist of religion, presents a way of understanding religion in a contemporary global society - by analyzing it as a dimension of the historical process of globalizat
Every year, hundreds of gay men and lesbians join ex-gay ministries in an attempt to convert to non-homosexual Christian lives. In this fascinating study of the transnational ex-gay movement, Tanya Er
Using an unbiased, balanced approach, the 8th edition of this text puts religion in its social context by discussing the impact of society on religion while helpg readers understand the role and funct
Comprehending Cults, Second Edition, provides a sociological interpretation of the phenomenon of new religious movements. While the author does not offer an apologia for cults--in either a religious
Will Mormonism be the next world faith, one that will rival Catholicism, Islam, and other major religions in terms of numbers and global appeal? This was the question Rodney Stark addressed in his muc
Bassam Tibi offers a radical solution to the problems faced by Islam in a rapidly changing and globalizing world. He proposes a depoliticization of the faith and the introduction of reforms to embrace
Now available in a revised second edition, this popular introduction to the anthropology of religion combines discussion of the origin and development of debates within the field, with a look at where
