The Centrality of Religion in Social Life: Essays in Honour of James A. Beckford

James A. Beckford's work is internationally acclaimed not only in the sociology of religion, but also in other fields of the social sciences. Beckford has long been arguing that the barriers that have grown up between the different sub-disciplines should be broken down, with those specialising in religion becoming more cognisant of new theoretical developments, and sociologists in general becoming more aware of the significance of developments in the religious scene. This book is a collection of essays written in Beckford's honour, drawing on a number of religious themes that have been central to Beckford's interests, whilst also offering a significant contribution to our understanding of the wider society. A central theme is modernity (and its relation to the post-modern), and how religion affects and is affected by the dynamics of contemporary society, with the primary focus of many of the chapters being a concern with how society copes with the minority religions that have become visible with the globalising tendencies of contemporary society. The contributors, who come from America, Asia and various parts of Europe, are all internationally renowned scholars. Beckford's most important publications are listed in an Appendix and the volume opens with a short account of his contribution to sociology by Eileen Barker (the editor) and James T. Richardson.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction, Eileen Barker and James T. Richardson; Part I The French Connection: Thinking sociologically about religion: contexts, concepts and clarifications, Grace Davie; Religious individualism, modern individualism and self-fulfilment: a few reflections on the origins of contemporary religious individualism, Danièle Hervieu-Léger; The paradoxes of laïcité in France: French cult controversy at the turn of the new millennium, Jean-Paul Willaime; French cult controversy at the turn of the new millennium: escalation, dissensions and new forms of mobilisations across the battlefield, Véronique Altglas; 2 different types of manifest secularization: Belgium and France compared, Karel Dobbelaere. Part II Religious Insertions in Society: The inner-world mysticism and a successful social integration of the Sikh Panth, Enzo Pace; A movement without a crisis is a movement with a crisis: a paradox in search of a paradigm, N.J. Demerath III; The European Court of Human Rights, minority religions, and the social construction of religious freedom, James T. Richardson and Jennifer Shoemaker; The trumpet sounds retreat: learning from the Jehovah's Witnesses, David Voas; Theorising conversion: can we use conversion accounts as sources to actual past processes?, Margit Warburg; From 'visiting minister' to 'Muslim chaplain': the growth of Muslim chaplaincy in Britain, 1970-2007, Sophie Gilliat-Ray. Part III Religion, Power and Politics: The religious and the political, David Martin; Religion, human power and powerlessness, Thomas Luckmann. Part IV The Spiritual and /or the Religious?: The church without and the god within? Religiosity and/or spirituality?, Eileen Barker; Contemporary religions and the public arena: centring on the situation in Japan, Susumu Shimazono; Toward a sociology of spirituality: individual religion in social/historical context, Meredith B. McGuire; Appendix; Index.