Roundtable on the Sociology of Religion: Twenty-Three Theses on the Status of Religion in American Sociology—A Mellon Working-Group Reflection

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Religion Vol. 81; no. 4; pp. 903 - 938
• Main Authors: 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., Trinitapoli, Jenny, Whitnah, Meredith
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford American Academy of Religion, Oxford University Press 01.12.2013; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Humanities; Negligence; Religions; Religious studies; ROUND TABLE; Social life & customs; Sociological Research; Sociology; Sociology of Religion; United States > US
• ISSN: 0002-7189; 1477-4585
• DOI: 10.1093/jaarel/lft052

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 reductionistically. We explore several reasons for this negligence, focusing on key historical, conceptual, methodological, and institutional factors. We then turn to offer a number of proposals 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.