Sociology of Religion for Generations X and Y

Generations X and Y are plugged into the contemporary world of consumption, popular culture, and the internet. These generations treat knowledge and belief as a more flexible concept, often focusing on the practical rather than the theoretical and often drawing on conflicting sources in both popular and cyber culture. Their approach to religious belief and practice requires a new way of studying the sociology of religion. 'Sociology of Religion for Generations X and Y' examines key world religions - Buddhism, Christianity and Islam - as well as newer religious groups, such as Scientology, New Age, Witchcraft and online communities such as Jediism and Matrixism. The book covers a range of key concepts: secularisation and modernisation, re-enchantment, the 'McDonaldisation' of society, and the easternisation of the west. Each chapter opens with a case study from popular culture or the internet which takes the reader to the heart of the topic being discussed. Employing both classical sociological theory and contemporary critical theory, 'Sociology of Religion for Generations X and Y' explains where contemporary religion and spirituality are coming from, where they are now, and where they are going.

"Sociology of Religion for Generations X and Y is 50 percent empirical, 50 percent prophetic. It is this quality, perhaps, that makes it 100 percent recommended reading." - Religion "Written for, and about, post-1970 generations X and Y, Possamai's very timely work will assist readers to make sense of the various new forms of believing, belonging and behaving pursued by Xers and Yers, many of whom remain unconcerned with transcendence, religious knowledge, or the salvation of the soul." - Studies in Religion Book Reviews

Adam Possamai is Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Western Sydney. He is the author of Religion and Popular Culture: A Hyper-Real Testament and In Search of New Age Spiritualities.

Readers and students from generations X and Y are involved in consumer culture, get part of their knowledge through popular culture and/or the internet, and are more practical than theoretical. This book on the sociology of religion straddles the intersection between consumer culture, cyber-culture and popular culture, and focuses on the need of these generations. This book makes specific relevance to generations X and Y from the very first page. To draw the reader into a topic, each chapter begins with a case study from popular culture or the internet. This narrative device is a key approach to bringing readers and students to the heart of the problem. Sociology of Religion for Generations X and Y explores sociological concepts such as secularisation and the multiple modernisation thesis, re-enchantment, the McDonaldisation of society and the easternisation of the west, while addressing contemporary phenomenon within, for example, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, New Age, Scientology, and Witchcraft groups, both online and offline. It also addresses new religious phenomena such as the mixing of religion and popular culture on the internet as found in new groups such as Jediism and Matrixism. While covering classical works in the field, Sociology of Religion for Generations X and Y uses the writing of cutting edge theorists to understand where religion and spirituality are coming from, where they are right now, and where they might be going. It also highlights the practical relevance of this sub-discipline to readers and students by exploring what sociologists of religion do outside of the academy.

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