Religion, Society, and Development
Research Guide

Durkheim in "THE ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE" (1916) argues that religion generates essential societal elements because the idea of society forms the soul of religion. This 8453-cited work identifies enduring sources of human social identity through religious practices. It positions religion as central to collective consciousness and social cohesion.

Papers in this field compare faith-based and secular organizations in delivering welfare and aid, highlighting challenges and opportunities. Cooke and Kothari's "Participation: the New Tyranny?" (2001) critiques participatory approaches in development with 4565 citations. These comparisons reveal controversies in faith-based involvement in social welfare.

Koenig et al.'s "Handbook of Religion and Health" (2001) with 2513 citations and Koenig's "Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications" (2012) with 2121 citations review evidence on religion's impacts. These works synthesize data showing associations between religiosity, spirituality, and improved mental and physical health. Clinical implications arise from over 140 years of quantitative research.

Casanova's "Public Religions in the Modern World" (1994) with 3146 citations surveys religions' roles in modern public spheres, from Islamic fundamentalism to liberation theology. Norris and Inglehart's "Sacred and secular religion and politics worldwide" (2011) with 2253 citations shows advanced societies shifting secular while traditional views persist globally. These demonstrate existential security influencing religious orientations.

Snow et al. in "Frame Alignment Processes, Micromobilization, and Movement Participation" (1986) propose frame alignment as a bridge between social psychology and resource mobilization, earning 6336 citations. This process links individual motivations to collective action in movements. It analyzes how framing enhances adherent recruitment.