Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion

Book excerpt: "Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion" publishes empirical and theoretical studies of religion from a wide range of disciplines and from all parts of the globe. This volume has a special section on Islam and Mental Health, an important and neglected area of study. The section draws on work, from six countries, that have applied different theoretical frameworks and empirical methods to examine the link between religion, psychology, and health in very diverse Muslim communities. Other articles examine topics as diverse as spirituality, psychological health, conversion, and the cultural psychology of religion. Disciplines represented include those that draw on qualitative, quantitative, and theoretical methods of study which together represent an important contribution to the contemporary study of religion.