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Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion
Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion
Description
Within an era of growing reliance on digital technologies to instantly and effectively express our beliefs, values and allegiances, the interest in digital methodologies among sociologists of religion continues to increase. Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion addresses a gap in the literature for a text that explores the epistemological underpinnings and rationale for the use of digital methodologies. It considers the implementation difficulties of researching religion online and reflects on the ethical dilemmas faced by sociologists of religion when using digital research methods. In doing so it sets a precedent that future scholars can utilise and follow.
This pioneering volume brings together established and emerging scholars, including William Bainbridge, Heidi Campbell, and Paul Weller, to consider the methodological issues associated with the sociology of religion. Global case studies draw on, for example, the use of social media as a method for researching discrimination on the basis of religious or non-religious belief, religion and identity in virtual worlds, digital communication within religious organisations, and young people's diverse expressions of faith online. Additionally, boxed tips are provided throughout the text to serve as reminders of tools that readers may use in their own research projects.
Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion is ideal for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers employing digital methodologies within their own research.
Table of Contents
List of Contributors
Acknowledgements
Introduction: Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion
Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor and Suha Shakkour
Part 1 Digitizing Research in the Sociology of Religion
1 Methodological Challenges, Innovations and Growing Pains in Digital Religion Research
Heidi A. Campbell and Brian Altenhofen
2 Surveying the Religious and Non-Religious Online
Tristram Hooley and Paul Weller
3 Online Crowdsourcing Methods for Identifying and Studying Religious Groups as Special Populations
Victoria A. Springer, Peter J. Martini and James T. Richardson
Part 2 Social Networking Sites and Digital Ethnography
4 Facebook as Anti-social Media: Using Facebook Groups to Engage Opponents to the Building of Dudley Mosque Chris Allen
5 Analysing YouTube Interaction: A Discourse-centred Approach Stephen Pihlaja
6 Online Sufism: Methodological Thoughts on Researching Esoteric Islam in an Online Context Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor
7 Studying Digital Hinduism Heinz Scheifinger
8 Young Sikhs' Religious Engagement Online
Jasjit Singh
Part 3 Digital Communication
9 Studying Apps: Research Approaches to the Digital Bible
Tim Hutchings
10 Videoconferencing as a Tool Facilitating Feminist Interviews with Muslim Women Who Wear the Niqab
Anna Piela
11 Religious Organizations on the Internet: A Model to Analyse Communication Effectiveness
Daniel Arasa and Juan Narbona
12 Researching Authority in Religious Organizations from a Communicative Perspective: A Connective Online–Offline Approach
Pauline Hope Cheong, Boris H. J. M. Brummans and Jennie M. Hwang
Part 4 Virtual Reality and Religion
13 Online Ethnographic Research: Avatars in Virtual Worlds William Sims Bainbridge
14 Researching Religion, Digital Games and Gamers: (E-)Merging Methodologies
Simone Heidbrink, Tobias Knoll and Jan Wysocki
15 The G-d in the Machine: Studying the Representation and Performance of Judaism in Video Games using Multimodal Corpus-assisted Critical Discourse Analysis
Isamar Carrillo Masso
Afterword: Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion – What Next?
Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor and Suha Shakkour
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Product details

Published | Dec 17 2015 |
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Format | Ebook (PDF) |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 256 |
ISBN | 9781472571175 |
Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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