The Sociology of Religion: An Introduction to Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives

The Sociology of Religion is a comprehensive and wide-ranging introduction to theoretical debates in the sociology of religion, placing these theories in the context of specific religious beliefs and practices.
Using examples as diverse as primitive religions, Buddhism, millenial movements, the Protestant Ethic, secularisation, cults and the new religious movements, Malcolm Hamilton demonstrates the multiplicity of religious traditions and enables readers to place their own experiences in a wider context. He draws on both historical and anthropological perspectives in his examination of religious practices and outlines the work of major sociological theorists including Marx, Durkheim, Malinowski and other Functionalists, Frazer and Weber in the examination of world religion, bringing these theories up-to-date. The significance of each theoretical perspective is illustrated by chapters on particular beliefs and practices.

Malcolm Hamilton is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Reading. Other publications include Sociology and the World's Religions, Democratic Socialism in Britain and Sweden and Class and Inequality in Comparative Perspective.