PAPERS Resources

AAR Annual Meeting
San Diego, CA
November 23-26, 2019

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Sociology of Religion Unit

Statement of Purpose: 

The Sociology of Religion Unit of the American Academy of Religion serves as a bridge between religious studies and the subdiscipline of sociology of religion. It functions as a two-way conduit not only to import sociological research into religious studies but also to export the research of religious studies into both the subdiscipline and the broader field of sociology. Only through a cross-fertilization transgressing departmental boundaries can there be breakthroughs in research in both fields. The unit has a wide conception of sociology of religion. It is open to a multiplicity of paradigms and methodologies utilized in the subfield and sociology more broadly: theoretical as well as empirical, quantitative, qualitative, and comparative-historical. By liaising with other Program Units, the Sociology of Religion Unit is able to bring the rich diversity of critical and analytical perspectives that are housed in the American Academy of Religion into mainstream sociology of religion. Conversely, it aims to provide scholars of the study of religion with a deeper understanding of the landscape of sociology of religion.

Call for Papers: 

The purpose of the Sociology of Religion program Unit of the American Academy of Religion is to bridge the gap and generate cross-fertilization between the Sociology of Religion and Religious Studies. We are open to papers in all areas and therefore encourage submissions of any topic relevant to the sociology of religion. This year, we are particularly interested in the following topics:

● Topics related to San Diego (Immigration/Latinx experiences, militarism, etc.) and public intellectuals (which is the theme of the conference)

● Pedagogical panel: sociology of religion is taught in both sociology and religious studies departments. However, in religious studies departments, so as not to conflict with the turf of sociology departments, it is often called “religion and society.” For this panel, we are interested in comparing how sociology of religion is taught in sociology and religious studies departments

● W.E.B. DuBois’s relevance to the sociology of religion

● A return to Jane Addams and others whose work refutes an epistemic split between sociology and activism

● Relevance/relationship of quantitative to qualitative research

● Applied sociology as a form of pubic intellectual work

Publication:
The Sociology of Religion Group of AAR regularly co-sponsors panels with the peer-reviewed print and online journal Critical Research on Religion (CRR) (http://crr.sagepub.com). Published by SAGE Publications, the journal has over 8000 subscriptions worldwide and is ranked by Scopus #16 out of 432 religion journals (https://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php?category=1212). Presenters of promising papers in SOR panels will be invited to turn their papers into articles and submit them for peer review to CRR.

Method: 
PAPERS
Process: 
Proposals are anonymous to chairs and steering committee members during review, but visible to chairs prior to final acceptance or rejection
Leadership: 
ChairSteering Committee