Research Skills for M.A. Students 1.7, Religion and Society

Catalog
Databases
Sample Topic: Divorce

Religion and Society

• Includes Ethics, Sociology, Psychology, Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies
• Engages theories: Critical Race Theory, Deconstruction, Feminist Epistemology, Postcolonialism, Queer...
• Employs methods: Qualitative*, Quantitative, Mixed
  • *Qualitative Methods include: Case Studies, Participant Observation, Interviewing, Grounded Theory...

Encyclopedias

• Ethics
  • Encyclopedia of Ethics, 2001 [Ref. BJ63 .E45; also online through Credo Reference]
  • Dictionary of Ethics, Theology and Society, 1996 [Ref. BJ63 .D45]
  • Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy, 2009 [Ref. GE42 E533]
  • Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, 2005 [Ref BL31 .E465; also online]
  • Mainline Christians and U.S. Public Policy, 2007 [Ref. BR515 .U88]
• Sociology
  • New Blackwell Companion to the Sociology of Religion, 2010 [Ref. BL60 .B53]
  • Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, 2007 [Ref. HM425 .B53]
  • Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods, 2008 [Ref. H61 S234]
  • Encyclopedia of Social Theory, 2006 [Ref. HM425 .E46]
  • Encyclopedia of Religion and Society, 1998 [Ref.BL60 .E53; and online]
  • Encyclopedia of Social Work, 2008 [online]
• Psychology
  • Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2000 [Ref. BF31 .E52]
  • Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health, 2008 [Ref. RC437 G36]
  • Mental Measurements Yearbooks [Ref. BF431 .M46] 
  • Elsevier's Dictionary of Psychological Theories, 2006.
• Ethnic Studies 
  • Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2002 [Ref. HT1521 .C65]
  • Class in America, 2007 [Ref. HN90 .S6 C564]
  • Encyclopedia of African American History
  • Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States,  2005 [Ref. E184 .S75 O97 &  online]
  • Multicultural America: An Encyclopedia of the Newest Americans, 2011
• Gender Studies 
  • Encyclopedia of Feminist Theories, 2000 [Ref. HQ1190 .E63]
  • International Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities, 2007 [Ref. HQ1090 I58]
• Education and Children
  • Praeger Handbook of Religion and Education in the United States, 2009 [Ref. LC111 .P78]
  • Harper's Encyclopedia of Religious Education, 1990 [Ref. BV1461 .H37]
  • The Child: An Encyclopedia Companion, 2009 [Ref HQ767.84 .C55]
  • Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents and the Media, 2007 [Ref HQ784 .M3 E53]
  • Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood: In History and Society, 2004 [Ref HQ767.84 .E53; also online]
• Reference Universe

Key Journals

• Ethics
  • Journal of Religious Ethics
  • Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics
  • Environmental Ethics
  • Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture
• Sociology
  • Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
  • Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion
  • Review of Religious Research
  • Socioloogy of Religion
  • Social Compass: International Review of Sociology of Religion
  • Sage online journals
• Psychology
  •    Pastoral Psychology
• Gender Studies
  • Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion

Some key theorists: Bourdieu, Du Bois, Fanon, Foucault, Freud, Fowler, Kohut, Weber, Winnicott

Searching the Catalog

• Ethics: Christian Ethics, Social Ethics
• Sociology: Christian Sociology, Postcolonialism, Power (Social Sciences)
• Psychology: Object Relations (Psycholanalysis), Psychic Trauma, Systemic Therapy (Family Therapy)
• Ethnic Studies: African Americans, Asian Americans, Ethnicity, Ethnology United States, Hispanic Americans, Minorities
• Gender Studies: Feminist Theory, Gender Identity, Homosexuality, Queer Theory
• Education and Children: Children, Christian Education, Moral Development, Moral Education, Religious Education

 Periodical Databases  

• PsycInfo
• SocIndex
• Anthropology Plus
• Womens Studies International
• Gender Watch
• Ethnic Newswatch 
• ERIC
• Education Research Complete

Special Topics

• Human Rights
  • Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (US Dept of State)
  • International Religious Freedom Report (US Dept of State)
  • Center for Gender and Refugee Studies
  • Human Rights Watch
  • LGBT Religious Archives Network
• International Relations
  • Faith, Ethics and Public Life
• Statistics and etc.
  • Government Documents: GPO Access
  • Census Bureau
  • Statistic Abstract of the U.S. (alternative site)
  • Bureau of Justice Statistics
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Religion Statistics
  • ARDA
  • Adherents.com
  • American Religious Identification Survey
  • Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches [BR13.Y4, Reference Counter]
  • 2010 U.S. Religious Census  [BL2525 .A15] [sample page]

Searching the Internet

• Google (use Advanced, and employ limiters)
• Classified indexes to web sites
  • Wabash Center Guide
  • Drew University Library guides by subject
• Evaluating web sites
• Citing web sites

See also: Online Guide to Religion and Society and to RLSOC725: History of Western Christian Ethics