Upper-level undergraduates and graduate students will have no difficulty grasping the meaning of the entries, most of which are uniformly clear, authoritative and to-the-point. Specialist scholars studying religion and society will enjoy comparing their own ideas with those of the contributors. And non-specialists will appreciate the opportunity to get quick answers to questions such as 'What is millenarianism?'. In other ... Read morewords, a wide variety of readers will benefit from consulting the encyclopedia, and every university library should aspire to owning a copy.
James A. Beckford, (University of Warwick)
British Journal of Sociology
On the whole, this encyclopedia is a good starting point for research on the role of religion in society. Entries include topics ranging from abortion to Zoroastrianism, as well as individuals and organizations who have studied them. The longer essays on topics such as fundamentalism (Frank Lechner), Judaism (Herbert Danzger), new religions (David Bromley), or feminist research and theory (Mary Jo Neitz) provide comprehensive analyses and useful references, and are written by experts in each field. The essays on the institutional history of various societies (SSSR, ASR, etc.) are also useful, since this information is not easily available elsewhere.
Christel Manning, (Sacred Heart University)
Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review
This volume is an impressive collection of highly informative and well-articulated essays with up-to-date trends, written in precise language by a dedicated group of scholars.
K.V. Raman
The Hindu
It can be fairly taken to represent the state of the art in this field....The quality is high. This is a reference work many...will want to have on hand.
Robert Ellwood, (University of Southern California)
Nova Religio: The Journal Of Alternative And Emergent Religions
This is an excellent volume for majors in religious studies and for use in introduction to religious courses and is highly recommended for libraries.
Fred Burnett
Religious Studies Review, Vol 26, Issue 4, Oct 2000
The Encyclopedia of Religion and Society can be regarded as the first substantial reference work specifically concerned with sociological study of religion....It is a book that deserves to be widely recognized for making this contribution to the field.
American Journal of Islamic Social Studies
This new encyclopedia is likely to become a standard reference work for those interested in the relationship between religion and society over the coming decade. The international team of one hundred and nine contributors, all prestigious specialists in the sociology of religion, have provided a comprehensive and accessible resource for scholars in the field. Reflecting the interdisciplinary history of the discipline, the encyclopedia will be useful to those working in religious studies, anthropology and psychology....The avoidance of complex technical jargon makes the book accessible to a wide readership and to those new to the field....A valuable and user-friendly resource for students and researchers...It undoubtedly deserves a place on library shelves.
Sophie Gilliat-Ray, Cardiff University, Wales
Journal of Contemporary Religion
Show Less