Book Review: Modern Sociologists on Society and Religion

Abstract

In this study, Inger Furseth and Pål Repstad's book titled Contemporary Sociologists' Views of Society and Religion has been evaluated. Since the aim is to evaluate the book, it is not analysed in detail about the sociologists; it is focused on which conceptual tools of the theorists come to the fore and what kind of contributions they will make to the studies that will examine religious life. In this context, the evaluation text started by criticising the relationship of sociology and sociology of religion with sub-disciplines. Because it is stated by the authors that the approach aiming at the separation of sub-disciplines will lead to an isolated intellectual life. For this reason, it is emphasised in the study that the work is an introductory book that deals with contemporary theorists who open the door to the understanding of social science as a whole. The  book  underlines  the  dialectical  relationship between life and thought by including chapters examining the biographical and intellectual tradition of ten contemporary sociologists. The authors emphasise that the phenomenon of religion has not been ignored in contemporary sociology, and discuss how studies have been conducted using the conceptual tools of leading theories. This sets an example for new research. In addition, the recommendations given for possible studies that will examine religious life using these conceptual tools serve as a guide for researchers