Sociology of Religion Unit

The purpose of the Sociology of Religion Unit of the American Academy of Religion is to 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 the AAR presidential theme of “Freedom”

• Including the sociology of religion and law, social movements for freedom, religious freedom activism, theocratic and unfreedom movements, and more.

Sociology of Buddhism (Co-sponsored with the Buddhism Unit)

• This possible co-sponsored session invites proposals focused on the sociology of Buddhism, including local or global studies, reflections on the state of the field, and more from scholars working across geographies, traditions, and practices. We seek original research using sociological methodologies, such as quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods,  historical sociology, and theoretical approaches.

Sociology of Quakerism (Co-sponsored with the Quaker Studies Unit)

• This possible co-sponsored session invites proposals focused on the sociology of Quakerism, including quantitative and qualitative studies across local, national, and global contexts.

Sociology of Ritual (Co-sponsored with the Ritual Studies Unit)

• This possible co-sponsored session invites proposals that examine or employ sociological approaches to ritual. Examples include original studies of religious, spiritual, or secular rituals across a variety of contexts; reassessments of major theorists, like Émile Durkheim, Clifford Geertz, or Catherine Bell; or other topics related to the sociological study of ritual.

Religious Pluralism

• Including research on religious pluralism in societies, organizations, families, and more.

2024 Elections and Religion

• Including sociological research on 2024 elections and religion, including electoral shifts, the fall of incumbent parties and politicians, religio-political movements, and more; we welcome proposals discussing elections in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America, including local, national, and transnational perspectives.

Digital Religion

• Including sociological research on digital religion, religion and social media, religion online, online religions, religious media, and more.

Class and Religion

• Including sociological research on religion and economic or social class, stratification, inequality, religio-economic movements, and more.

Race, Ethnicity, and Religion

• Including sociological research on intersectional identities, religio-racial or religio-ethnic identifications, biracial or multiracial people and spaces, multiracial/multireligious social movements, and more.

Quantitative and Computational Research

• Any research relying on quantitative or computational methods, including surveys, data and text mining, statistical analyses, geospatial studies, experimental methods, and original mixed-methods research. Results must be complete and analyzed by the time the annual meeting begins.

  Global and Transnational Religions

• Including sociological research across nation-states within continents and across continents, such as Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and more.

Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are core values of the Sociology of Religion Unit. For this reason, we encourage organizers of pre-formed panels to invite participants that are diverse in race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, age, religion, region, discipline, methodology, professional status, and type of institution. In addition, we especially welcome proposals that focus on communities that have been historically underrepresented, including African, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, and non-Christian communities, as well as on regions outside North America and Europe. In panel and paper proposals, we also welcome a diversity of methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, historical, and theoretical. When preparing your panel or roundtable proposal, please include the demographic data you provide to the AAR and explain how your panel’s participants instantiate diversity.

Review Process
All proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria: a descriptive title; a clearly formulated argument; clearly identified methodology and sources; engagement with relevant secondary literature; explicit articulation of an original contribution to the field; relevance to our unit’s CFP; potential for co-sponsorships with other units. Further suggestions for AAR proposal writers can be found in Kecia Ali’s “Writing a Successful Annual Meeting Proposal.” Anonymity: Proposals are anonymous to chairs and steering committee members during initial review, but visible prior to final acceptance or rejection.

Publication 
The Sociology of Religion Unit regularly co-sponsors panels with the peer-reviewed journal Critical Research on Religion (http://crr.sagepub.com), published by SAGE Publications. Presenters of promising papers in Sociology of Religion Unit panels may be invited to turn their papers into articles and submit them for peer review to Critical Research on Religion.