Sociology of Religion in America : A History of a Secular Fascination with Religion

Sociology Of Religion In America Tells The Story Of The Controversies Involved In The Development Of A Scientific Specialty That Often Makes News In America. The Evidence It Presents Runs Contrary To The Many Myths About The Field. Sometimes Viewed By Scholars As A Backwater, Actual Evidence From The 1890s To The 1980s Shows That Sociology Of Religion Had A Steady Presence In Sociology All Along. Seen As A Force Alien To Religion By Some, It Was Actually In A Mutually Supportive Relationship With Religious Organizations. Examining Dissertations Dating From 1895 To 1959 And Scientific Articles From The 1960s To The 1980s, Anthony J. Blasi Discovers Who The Major Sociologists Of Religion Were And What They Did. He Traces The Field's Previously Unknown Tradition In Community Studies, The Exigencies Of The Research Institutes, And Dramatic Changes In The Professional Associations. Society Between Sanctity And Secularity: An Introduction / William H. Swatos -- Author's Introduction -- 1. Doctoral Dissertations In The Sociology Of Religion, 1895-1959 -- Theoretical And Conceptual Citations In Dissertations In The Sociology Of Religion -- Who Were Cited As Sociologists Of Religion? -- Number Of Sociology Of Religion Citations In The Dissertations -- Methods Of Data Collection And Analysis Used In The Dissertations -- Traditions And Denominations Under Study -- 2. Articles In The Sociology Of Religion, 1964-1984 -- Universities Granting Doctorates To The Authors -- How Consolidated Were The Locations For Publishing? -- Classical Sociological Theory In The Articles -- Citations Of Theorists Other Than The Classical Theorists -- Citing Sociologists Of Religion -- Theoretical Paradigms And Topics -- Methods Of Data Collection -- Methods Of Data Analysis -- What Religions Were Being Studied? -- Specialties Other Than Sociology Of Religion -- Conclusion -- 3. Community Studies And The Sociology Of Religion -- Earliest Studies -- Earliest University-based Studies -- Jewish Community Studies -- Middletown -- Studies Of Sects -- Mill Towns In The Piedmont -- Different Cultures -- Rural American Communities -- Religion And Community Division -- Urban Studies -- Overview -- 4. Research Organizations -- United States Bureau Of The Census -- W.e.b. Dubois And The Atlanta Studies -- The Interchurch World Movement -- Committee On Social And Religious Surveys -- Institute Of Social And Religious Research -- Bureau Of Applied Social Research -- Survey Research Center, University Of California, Berkeley -- U.s. Department Of Agriculture -- University Of Michigan Survey Research Center/detroit Area Study -- Howard W. Qdum Institute For Research In Social Science -- The National Opinion Research Center -- Bureau Of Social And Religious Research, Garrett Biblical Institute -- Other Agencies -- 5. Professional Associations -- American Catholic Sociological Society -- Association For The Sociology Of Religion -- Religious Research Association -- Society For The Scientific Study Of Religion -- International Society For The Sociology Of Religion -- Research Committee 22 Of The International Sociological Association -- Association For The Scientific Study Of Jewry -- Summary Overview -- 6. Observations -- Appendix I. American Dissertations In The Sociology Of Religion, 1895-1959 -- Dissertations Included In The Study -- Dissertations Unavailable For The Study -- Appendix Ii. Origins Of The American Catholic Sociological Society And The American Catholic Sociological Review -- References -- Name Index -- Subject Index. By Anthony J. Blasi. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 230-249) And Indexes.