A Sociology of Spirituality
Understanding the significance of spirituality in modern society
Peter C Jupp author Kieran Flanagan editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:27th Nov '09
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£145.00(9780754654582)
This book examines the rise of spirituality in modern culture, questioning the relevance of organized religions and exploring various social dimensions. A Sociology of Spirituality provides critical insights.
In A Sociology of Spirituality, the author delves into the evolving landscape of spirituality within contemporary culture, positing that organized religions may have lost their relevance. The book critically examines this notion, highlighting significant divisions in thought and understanding surrounding spirituality. Through a collection of essays, the text explores how spirituality intersects with various societal aspects, including visual culture, individualism, gender, identity politics, education, and cultural capital.
The relationship between secularization and spirituality is a central theme in A Sociology of Spirituality, where the author engages with the works of sociologist Georg Simmel to provide a framework for understanding spirituality's role in modern society. The essays also tackle the complexities of defining spirituality, drawing on examples from diverse cultural contexts such as the UK, USA, France, and Holland. This multifaceted approach allows for a comprehensive examination of spirituality's significance in sociology.
This original and well-structured volume serves as a valuable resource for undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers alike. It offers a scholarly appraisal of spirituality as a phenomenon that is increasingly relevant in sociological discussions, encouraging readers to reflect on the implications of spirituality in their own lives and communities. A Sociology of Spirituality ultimately invites a deeper understanding of the critical role spirituality plays in shaping contemporary cultural identities.
’... a step forward in our understanding of some key features of contemporary culture.’ Church Times ’... these are first-rate, detailed essays that move the spirituality debate forward from simplistic oppositions between the individual and community, public and private, religious and the spiritual, and signify an ascending and important topic within the sociology of religion.’ Religious Studies Review ’... a very rich and useful collection on the nature of spirituality.’ Journal of Contemporary Religion ’This book does an excellent job of bringing to light, through interesting case studies and theoretical essays, some of the key issues in what promises to be a growing theme in the sociology of religion.’ British Journal of Sociology ’A Sociology of Spirituality is a robust contribution to the analysis of contemporary religion and culture trends. The volume is well structured and skillfully illustrates the diversity of sociological approaches to spirituality.’ Worship ’A Sociology of Spirituality is an important book for those interested in studies of the contemporary religious landscape.’ Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review 'What is particularly fascinating, and gratifying, is that this is the first substantial collection of scholarly work to explore the meaning and significance of 'spirituality' in relation to the method and preoccupations of sociology. ... the book undoubtedly broadened my own perspectives and reminded me forcefully that it is all too easy to treat spirituality in a pure, rather timeless or abstract way. While spiritual traditions are not purely cultural constructs, our understanding of them cannot be detached from the surrounding cultures within which they inescapably came to birth and in relation to which traditions persistently adapt and develop. I look forward to an increasing and mutually fruitful dialogue between sociologists and scholars of Christian spirituality.' Spiritus '... very much of int
ISBN: 9781409402596
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 544g
286 pages