Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion

by Cheruvallil-Contractor, Sariya; Shakkour, Suha

• ISBN13: 9781472571151
• ISBN10: 1472571150
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2015-12-17
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

Within an era of growing reliance on digital technologies to instantly and effectively express our values and allegiances, the interest in digital methodologies among sociologists of religion naturally continues to increase. Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion fills a gap for a text that explores the epistemological underpinnings and rationale for the use of digital methodologies, considering the implementation difficulties and ethical dilemmas faced by sociologists of religion when using digital research methods.

International leading scholars including Heidi Campbell (Texas A&M University) and William Bainbridge (National Science Foundation), along with researchers working on cutting-edge dimensions are brought together in the first volume to consider the methodological issues within the sociological research of digital religion. Global case studies include the use of Facebook as a site and method for researching anti-Muslim and anti-Islam opposition, digital paganism and online Buddhism. 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, or considering employing, digital methodologies within their own research.

Author Biography

Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Society, Religion and Belief, University of Derby, UK.

Suha Shakkour is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Derby, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Part 1: Digital Research in the Sociology of Religion
1. Methodological Challenges, Innovations and Growing Pains in Digital Religion Research (Heidi Campbell, Texas A&M University, USA)
2. Applying Artificial Intelligence to the Understanding of Islam (Eric Atwell, University of Leeds, UK)
Part 2: Social Networking Sites
3. Anti-Social Networking Sites: Facebook as a Site and Method for Researching Anti-Muslim and Anti-Islam Opposition (Chris Allen, University of Birmingham, UK)
4. The Role of Digital Communication Technology in the Muslim Brotherhood's Lead Revolution in Egypt (Abul Hassan and Toseef Azid, Markfield Institute of Higher Education, UK)
5. Ethical Challenges of researching Muslim Women's Closed Religious Newsgroups (Anna Piela, independent researcher)
6. Online Sufism - Methodological Thoughts on Researching Esoteric Islam in an Online context (Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor, University of Derby, UK)
Part 3: Digital Resources and Tools
7. Surveying the Religious and Non-Religious (Tristram Hooley and Paul Weller, University of Derby, UK)
8. Research Approaches to the Digital Bible (Tim Hutchings, Durham University, UK)
9. Employing Distance Learning to Improve the Quantity and Quality of Islamic Studies (Muhammad Mesbahi, University of Limerick, Ireland)
10. Googling for Answers: Young Sikhs, Religious Transmission and the Internet (Jasjit Singh, University of Leeds, UK)
Part 4: Online Communication
11. Prospects and Limits for Mxit and Mobi Methodologies: Mobile Platforms for the Study of Religion in Sub-Saharan Africa (Frederico Settler, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)
12. Researching Religious Discourses Online (Thomas Alberts, SOAS, UK)
13. The Online Communication Model: A Theoretical Framework to Analyse the Institutional Communication on the Internet (Juan Narbona and Daniel Arasa, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Italy)
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index