Suppl. 35 - Religion in European Societies
Supplement – Religion in European Societies: Exploring the Role of Economy, Governance, and Constitutions in Changing Religious Landscapes. (Bryan Bohrer)
This HSR Supplement explores the dynamic relationship between economic growth, welfare systems, and religious behavior and affiliation across various European countries, offering a comprehensive examination of these intertwined factors. By analyzing trends over several decades, the study investigates how macroeconomic variables – such as GDP, welfare spending, and income inequality – shape individual religiosity and religious affiliation. Its primary objective is to assess how economic conditions and welfare investments influence shifts in personal and societal religious practices and affiliations. Building upon and critiquing existing theories, the study proposes a nuanced perspective on the evolving roles of modern welfare systems, examining whether these systems act as substitutes for or complements to traditional religious institutions. It delves into the complex interplay between human security and religious adherence, providing new insights into the changing relevance of religion in contemporary Europe. Additionally, it introduces a novel focus on the impact of political trust and constitutional mandates in shaping patterns of religious affiliation and behavior. Drawing from diverse datasets and employing robust methodologies, including time-series and multilevel analyses, this research bridges macro-level economic conditions with micro-level religious outcomes. By integrating economic, political, and cultural dimensions, it offers a holistic view of how large-scale transformations influence individual and collective religious expressions.
This HSR Supplement makes a significant contribution to the sociology of religion by illuminating the intricate ways in which economic and political developments reshape Europe’s religious landscape. It also opens new pathways for future research into the evolving role of religion in modern societies.
49.4 - High Society from a Global Perspective
Special Issue – High Society from a Global Perspective: Mass Media and Social Transformation in the Twentieth Century. (Juliane Hornung, Nicolai Hannig, Emanuel V. Steinbacher, and Margit Szöllösi-Janze)
- Juliane Hornung, Nicolai Hannig, Emanuel V. Steinbacher & Margit Szöllösi-Janze: High Society from a Global Perspective, or: The Fabrication of Zsa Zsa Gabor. [Open Access]
Contributions
- Juliane Hornung: New York – Bayreuth – Hyderabad: High Society’s Global Reach in the 1920s and 1930s.
- Michael Homberg: High Life. Jet-Setters, Playboys, and the Global High Society, 1950s to 1970s.
- Erica L. Ball: Madam C. J. Walker and the Origins of Black American High Society.
- Emanuel V. Steinbacher: Mediating Upper Class and High Society Around 1900: The Example of Evelyn Nesbit and Harry Thaw.
- Nicolai Hannig & Julia Engelschalt: Fashion, Mobility, and Protest: The Sapeur Movement in Congo.
- Ryan Linkof: The Emperor Has No Clothes: King Edward VIII and the Scandal of Bodily Exposure.
- Mark White: John F. Kennedy, America’s “Royal Family,” and the Apex of High Society.
49.3 - Debating Self-Optimisation
Special Issue – Debating Self-Optimisation: Practices, Paradoxes, and Power. (Daniel Nehring, Anja Röcke, and Suvi Salmenniemi)
- Anja Röcke, Daniel Nehring & Suvi Salmenniemi: Dynamics of Self-Optimisation: An Introduction. [Open Access]
Contributions
I) Practices of Self-Optimisation: Forms and Contradictions
- Edgar Cabanas: CrossFit and Self-Optimization in CrossFit’s Popular Literature.
- Nicole Zillien: Self-Tracking as a Dietetic Practice.
- Agnieszka Krzeminska: Self-Optimisation and the Technologically Mediated Self: Balancing Self-Care and Self-Control.
- Tristan Fournier & Sébastien Dalgalarrondo: From Self-Optimization to Minimalism and Back. The Promises and Practices of Fasting in France.
II) Self-Optimisation and “Therapeutic Culture”
- Sam Binkley: Opening Up and Going In: Metaphors of Interiority and the Case of Humanistic Psychology.
- Senta Brandt & Jürgen Straub: A Critique of Guided Self-Optimisation: Mental Health, Success, Happiness, and Virtue in Missionary Positive Psychology and Psychotherapy.
III) Self-Optimisation, Power, and Politics
- Deborah Lupton & Clare Southerton: #ActuallyAutistic: Competing Cultures of Expertise and Knowledge in Relation to Autism and ADHD Self-Diagnosis on TikTok.
- Vera King, Benigna Gerisch, Hartmut Rosa, Ramona Franz, Diana Lindner, Benedikt Salfeld, Micha Schlichting, Julia Schreiber & Maike Stenger: Self-Optimization via Figures and Digital Parameters – Psychic Repercussions of Digital Measurement and Comparison.
- Amir Hampel: Practical Daydreams: Self-Optimization through Consumer Lifestyles in China.
- Daniel Nehring, Talia Esnard & Dylan Kerrigan: Re-Thinking Self-Optimisation: Power, Self, and Community in the Global South.
...or visit our archive for full text HSR articles!