Shifting gear: new agendas in the sociological study of religion
Birgitte Schepelern Johansen2013, Approaching Religion
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Abstract
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This editorial explores the evolving landscape of sociological research on religion, highlighting the disconnection between two primary approaches: one that examines religion's social role and another that historicizes and deconstructs the concept of 'religion'. It summarizes contributions from featured articles that call for a reevaluation of how 'religion' is conceptualized within various theoretical frameworks, particularly in relation to secularization. The discussions encourage a new focus on empirical realities and the complexities entangled in the study of religion, raising questions about the implications of these paradigms for future research.
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