Theorising Religion

James A. Beckford is Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick, UK, and John Walliss is Lecturer in Sociology at Liverpool Hope University, UK.

Contents: Introduction, James A. Beckford and John Walliss. Part I Classical Roots: Religion as an elementary aspect of society: Durkheim's legacy for social theory, Philip A. Mellor; Weber, rationalisation, and religious evolution in the modern era, Colin Campbell; Spiritualism and the (re)enchantment of modernity, John Walliss; Trajectories of faith in the global age: classical theory and contemporary evidence, Frank J. Lechner; 'Magico-popular religion' in contemporary society: towards a post-western sociology of religion, Cristián Parker. Part II New Growth: Religion in ultramodernity, Jean-Paul Willaime; Theodicy, distribution of risk, and reflexive modernisation: explaining the cultural significance of new religious movements, Robert A. Campbell; Privatisation, globalisation and religious innovation: Giddens' theory of modernity and the refutation of secularisation theory, Lorne L. Dawson; From creeds to burgers: religious control, spiritual search and the future of the world, John Drane; Understanding honour and religion as resource and constraint for young British Asians, Hannah Bradby; Preference structures and normative constraints in movements outside, between and within religious organisations, Darren E. Sherkat. Part III Fresh Blooms: Narrative versus theory in the sociology of religion: five stories of religion's place in the late modern world, James V. Spickard; 'A minimalist sociology of religion'?, James A. Beckford; New media, niche markets, and the body: excarnate and hypercarnate challenges for theory and theology, David Lyon; Inner speech and religious traditions, Douglas J. Davies; Sickness and salvation: social theories of the body in the sociology of religion, Freda Mold; Breaching bleaching: integrating studies of 'race' and ethnicity with the sociology of religion, Matthew Wood. Index.