This theory-based text is purposefully selective rather than comprehensive and takes an integrated, global approach
to examining religion in various cultures. Students learn to identify both the complex interactions between religion
and societal context and the ways in which these interactions shape individuals, communities, national politics,
and the world society.
Benefits:
A glossary of Terms defines words set in boldface type throughout the text.
NEW! Multi-Media Resources at the end of each chapter and/or on the companion Web site include InfoTrac College
Edition and links to relevant articles, books, and film resources.
NEW! A new companion Web site presents extensive Student and Instructor Resources.
NEW! Web-based student resources include: "Researching Religion" section, Guide to conducting literature
searches, "Thinking Critically" section with short essays, InfoTrac key search terms, Relevant Web links,
Link to the author's home page.
NEW! Web-based Instructor Resources are password-protected and include: Selected film resources, Suggestions
for teaching sociology of religion, Suggested group activities, Relevant Web links, Link to the author's home page.
The latest news and research articles online, updated daily and spanning four years! Choose to package InfoTrac
College Edition with this text and you and your students will have 4-months of free access to an easy-to-use online
database of reliable, full-length articles (not abstracts) from hundreds of top academic journals and popular sources.
Contact your Wadsworth/Thomson Learning representative for more information. Available to North American college
and university students only. Journals subject to change.
Expanded "Appendix A: Doing a Literature Search in the Sociology of Religion" explains what a literature
search is and how to perform one within the discipline.
Author and Subject Indexes provide ready access to topics throughout the text.
Extended applications end chapters and help students apply chapter topics to contemporary experiences.
Accessible language, lively tone, relevant examples and vignettes, and integration of technology capture students'
interest.
NEW! The preface now includes a table showing where to find key themes in chapters and boxes throughout the
text.
NEW! "Appendix B: Conducting Field Research" outlines a step-by-step approach to researching religion
in a societal context.
NEW! Selected chapters open with vignettes describing a group or individual's experiences, introducing the
chapter topic and increasing student relevancy.
NEW! Boxed features present historic, cross-cultural, and methodological examples and pose questions for critical
thinking.
Table of Contents
Preface.
1. The Sociological Perspective on Religion.
2. The Provision of Meaning and Belonging.
3. The Individual's Religion.
4. Official and Nonofficial Religion.
5. The Dynamics of Religious Collectives.
6. Religion, Social Cohesion, and Conflict.
7. The Impact of Religion on Social Change.
8. Religion in the Modern World.
Glossary.
Appendix
A. Doing a Literature Search in the Sociology of Religion.
B. Conducting Field Research.
References.
Author Index.
Subject Index.
