A British perspective on the critical sociology of religion: A response to Mary Jo Neitz

Steve Bruce

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

In a recent issue of Critical Research on Religion, Mary Jo Neitz presents a four-cell Locations Matrix created by the two dimensions of the status of the religion studied, as dominant and marginal, and position of the researchers vis-à-vis that religion, as insiders or outsiders. Her subsequent arguments about the influence of researcher standpoint perhaps work in the US setting where religion remains popular. This paper points out difficulties in applying the Matrix in the UK setting where religion is unpopular and uses the patently disinterested nature of much of the research conducted by professional sociologists of religion to retrieve the possibility of objective and value-neutral research.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)206-2016
Number of pages11
JournalCritical Research on Religion
Volume3
Issue number2
Early online date13 Jul 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2015

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgment
I would like to thank my colleague Andrew McKinnon and the reviewers and editors of Critical Research on Religion for their helpful comments.

Keywords

  • standpoint
  • objectivity
  • disciplinary boundaries

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