BOOK REVIEWS 213 provide a cross-cultural perspective on the social construction of deviance. It ... more BOOK REVIEWS 213 provide a cross-cultural perspective on the social construction of deviance. It includes sections on the theoretical explanation of deviance, moral panics, sexuality, prostitution, drugs, corporate deviance, religion, mental illness, and social ...
As the second installment of a review of textbooks in the sociology of religion (see Teaching Soc... more As the second installment of a review of textbooks in the sociology of religion (see Teaching Sociology (2002:496-8), this review addresses four books that have appeared since the first installment went into print. Three of these four books are newer editions of well established textbooks that have gone through several editions already (Johnstone, McGuire, and Roberts). The fourth one, by Phil Zuckerman, is not a textbook at all, but rather a brief introduction to the sociology of religion. In addition, this review includes a fifth book, written by Roberto Cipriani. Originally published in Italian in 1997, it is the oldest of the books reviewed here and represents somewhat of a combination of a traditional textbook and an introductory text. A brief comparison of the books’ formal characteristics (see table 1) reveals that the books vary greatly in their breadth and depth and in their price. The “traditional” textbooks are the most expensive. While more voluminous in terms of pages than the rest, Roberts’ book tops the chart at close to $75. This is a price that not only appears excessive for a paperback volume but may also keep it outside the reach of students with less affluent backgrounds, especially if an instructor chooses to supplement the textbook with additional reading materials. Both in volume and price, Johnstone and McGuire are not far behind, whereas the thinner books by Cipriani and Zuckerman are comparative bargains. Roberto Cipriani’s book is different from the rest, in that it focuses on authors rather than topics (see table 2 for this and the following comparisons). Cipriani covers an astounding array of scholars and their thought, ranging from the classics to various European schools and traditions to newer trends and developments. Readers will appreciate the strong international and historical focus and can use this book to brush up on their knowledge of areas of scholarship that are not well known on the North American continent or go back to eras that are rarely addressed in the sociology of religion. The American scene is also covered, but only briefly. The author/scholar focus comes at a price, however. As Cipriani addresses so much different BOOK REVIEWS 329
International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2003
The psychology of religion is alive and well, but one might think otherwise after reading these t... more The psychology of religion is alive and well, but one might think otherwise after reading these two volumes. Religion and Religiosity Between Theology and Psychology and The Psychology of Religion Today aim to provide insights into American and European ...
Tourism to traumascapes has as its destination sites associated with trauma (dark tourism), sites... more Tourism to traumascapes has as its destination sites associated with trauma (dark tourism), sites where disaster and tragedy actually occurred (darker tourism), or virtual recreations of such sites, particularly of the latter type (darkest tourism). A destination of darker tourism, ...
International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 2002
The history of sociology's most famous study began with the publication of a two-part essay.... more The history of sociology's most famous study began with the publication of a two-part essay. Its author, educated as a lawyer but formerly employed as a national economist, had no formal training in its subject. He had just overcome a mood disorder that had debilitated ...
Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers canadiens de sociologie, 2006
Do we need yet another Max Weber reader, or even a" Max Weber dictionary"? The ... more Do we need yet another Max Weber reader, or even a" Max Weber dictionary"? The answer to this question is doubly contingent, in terms of the compilation's intended audience and its contents. Moreover, it may reflect changes in the ways in which Weber has been ...
... Weber's Lacuna: Medieval Religion and the Roots of Rationalization. Lutz Kaelber. ..... more ... Weber's Lacuna: Medieval Religion and the Roots of Rationalization. Lutz Kaelber. ... These movements rejected the relativization of divine ethics by emphasizing "pure" asceticism. Given the Church's intolerance, this inevitably meant heresy and separation from the Church. 33. ...
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1999
The religious landscape of Germany differs markedly from that of the United States, where the sep... more The religious landscape of Germany differs markedly from that of the United States, where the separation of church and state has not prevented the interpenetration of the public sphere and religion. Nor has it kept Americans from becoming one of the most religious ...
BOOK REVIEWS 213 provide a cross-cultural perspective on the social construction of deviance. It ... more BOOK REVIEWS 213 provide a cross-cultural perspective on the social construction of deviance. It includes sections on the theoretical explanation of deviance, moral panics, sexuality, prostitution, drugs, corporate deviance, religion, mental illness, and social ...
As the second installment of a review of textbooks in the sociology of religion (see Teaching Soc... more As the second installment of a review of textbooks in the sociology of religion (see Teaching Sociology (2002:496-8), this review addresses four books that have appeared since the first installment went into print. Three of these four books are newer editions of well established textbooks that have gone through several editions already (Johnstone, McGuire, and Roberts). The fourth one, by Phil Zuckerman, is not a textbook at all, but rather a brief introduction to the sociology of religion. In addition, this review includes a fifth book, written by Roberto Cipriani. Originally published in Italian in 1997, it is the oldest of the books reviewed here and represents somewhat of a combination of a traditional textbook and an introductory text. A brief comparison of the books’ formal characteristics (see table 1) reveals that the books vary greatly in their breadth and depth and in their price. The “traditional” textbooks are the most expensive. While more voluminous in terms of pages than the rest, Roberts’ book tops the chart at close to $75. This is a price that not only appears excessive for a paperback volume but may also keep it outside the reach of students with less affluent backgrounds, especially if an instructor chooses to supplement the textbook with additional reading materials. Both in volume and price, Johnstone and McGuire are not far behind, whereas the thinner books by Cipriani and Zuckerman are comparative bargains. Roberto Cipriani’s book is different from the rest, in that it focuses on authors rather than topics (see table 2 for this and the following comparisons). Cipriani covers an astounding array of scholars and their thought, ranging from the classics to various European schools and traditions to newer trends and developments. Readers will appreciate the strong international and historical focus and can use this book to brush up on their knowledge of areas of scholarship that are not well known on the North American continent or go back to eras that are rarely addressed in the sociology of religion. The American scene is also covered, but only briefly. The author/scholar focus comes at a price, however. As Cipriani addresses so much different BOOK REVIEWS 329
International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2003
The psychology of religion is alive and well, but one might think otherwise after reading these t... more The psychology of religion is alive and well, but one might think otherwise after reading these two volumes. Religion and Religiosity Between Theology and Psychology and The Psychology of Religion Today aim to provide insights into American and European ...
Tourism to traumascapes has as its destination sites associated with trauma (dark tourism), sites... more Tourism to traumascapes has as its destination sites associated with trauma (dark tourism), sites where disaster and tragedy actually occurred (darker tourism), or virtual recreations of such sites, particularly of the latter type (darkest tourism). A destination of darker tourism, ...
International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 2002
The history of sociology's most famous study began with the publication of a two-part essay.... more The history of sociology's most famous study began with the publication of a two-part essay. Its author, educated as a lawyer but formerly employed as a national economist, had no formal training in its subject. He had just overcome a mood disorder that had debilitated ...
Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers canadiens de sociologie, 2006
Do we need yet another Max Weber reader, or even a" Max Weber dictionary"? The ... more Do we need yet another Max Weber reader, or even a" Max Weber dictionary"? The answer to this question is doubly contingent, in terms of the compilation's intended audience and its contents. Moreover, it may reflect changes in the ways in which Weber has been ...
... Weber's Lacuna: Medieval Religion and the Roots of Rationalization. Lutz Kaelber. ..... more ... Weber's Lacuna: Medieval Religion and the Roots of Rationalization. Lutz Kaelber. ... These movements rejected the relativization of divine ethics by emphasizing "pure" asceticism. Given the Church's intolerance, this inevitably meant heresy and separation from the Church. 33. ...
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1999
The religious landscape of Germany differs markedly from that of the United States, where the sep... more The religious landscape of Germany differs markedly from that of the United States, where the separation of church and state has not prevented the interpenetration of the public sphere and religion. Nor has it kept Americans from becoming one of the most religious ...
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