Sociology of Religion
Injustice and Prophecy in the Age of Mass Incarceration
The Politics of Sanity
Why do the UK and US disproportionately incarcerate the mentally ill? Via multiple re-framings of the question—theological, socioeconomic, and psychological— Andrew Skotnicki diagnoses a "persecution of the prophetic" at the heart of the contemporary penal system and society more broadly.
Muslims and Humour
Essays on Comedy, Joking, and Mirth in Contemporary Islamic Contexts
In this thought-provoking collection, Muslim and non-Muslim academics take a multi-disciplinary approach to humour in Islam. They draw on examples of comedy practices and styles to scope sociological, cultural, theological and political themes, consider humour’s role in fundamentalism, and correct misconceptions about laughter in the religion.
Religion and Faith-Based Welfare
From Wellbeing to Ways of Being
This original book offers a critical overview of the role of religious values, actors and institutions in the development of social welfare provision in Britain, combining historical discussion of the relationship between religion and social policy in Britain with a comparative theoretical discussion covering Europe and North America.
A Criminology of Moral Order
Moral order is disturbed by criminal events, however traditionally, issues around morality have been neglected by criminologists. Using the moral perspective Boutellier bridges the gap between people’s emotional opinions on crime, and criminologists rationalised answers to questions of crime and security.
Social welfare and religion in the Middle East
A Lebanese perspective
The original analysis in this book presents a new and comprehensive narrative of social welfare in the Middle East through an examination of the role of religious welfare.
Hunger, Whiteness and Religion in Neoliberal Britain
An Inequality of Power
Exploring why food aid exists and the deeper causes of food poverty, this book addresses neglected dimensions of traditional debates. It challenges neoliberal governmentality and shows how food charity maintains inequalities of class, race, religion and gender.
Religion, spirituality and the social sciences
Challenging marginalisation
This edited collection brings together an international panel of contributors to explore ways of engaging with issues of religion and spirituality when carrying out social science research.
Criminology and Public Theology
On Hope, Mercy and Restoration
This timely and unique contribution brings together leading scholars from criminology and theology to challenge criminal justice orthodoxy. They question the dominance of retributive punishment, and consider alternatives which draw on Christian ideas of hope, mercy and restoration.
Religion and Health Care in East Africa
Lessons from Uganda, Mozambique and Ethiopia
This book is the first to investigate what role religion plays in health care in East Africa. Taking in to account the geopolitical and economic environments of the region, the authors examine the roles played by individual and group beliefs, government policies, and pressure from the Millennium Development Goals in affecting health outcomes.
Faith-Based Organisations and Exclusion in European Cities
This timely book explores the role played by faith-based organisations (FBOs), which are growing in importance in the provision of social services in the European context.
Interpreting Religion
Making Sense of Religious Lives
This collection brings together a diverse range of interpretivist perspectives to find fresh takes on the meanings of religion. Cutting across paradigms and traditions, experts from the UK, US, and India apply different approaches to engagement with beliefs and themes, including identity, ritual, and emotion.