Books by Steve (Professor of Sociology Bruce

From politics to education, work, crime, and religion this Very Short Introduction discusses some of the core considerations of contemporary sociologists. Exploring the tension between the individual's place in society and society's role in shaping the individual, it demonstrates the value of sociology for understanding the modern world.

British Gods is a comprehensive survey of the state of religious faith in contemporary Britain, analysing how the status and nature of the different religions has changed since the 1950s and 1960s. Considering the challenges religion faces today from secular and social tensions, it offers a prognosis for the future of religion in Britain.

This indispensable reference tool offers a practicing social scientist's guide to researching social causes, components, and consequences of religion in the modern world.

Secularization remains one of the most hotly debated topics in the study of religion in modern societies. Steve Bruce elaborates the sociological secularization paradigm and defends it against a wide variety of recent attempts at rebuttal and refutation.

This study offers a detailed study of the religious and spiritual innovations of the last 50 years. It assesses their popularity in the UK and concludes that the 'not decline-just change' view cannot be sustained. Serious interest in spirituality has grown far less quickly than has the number of us who have no religious or spiritual interest.

People of the western world now have unprecedented freedom to choose their religion. In this book, the world's leading sociologist of religion argues that the liberty and freedom to choose religion corrodes faith and that religion remains most vital when it is part of ethnic and national identity.

The new edition of Steve Bruce's Fundamentalism grapples with the combination of social strains and religious ideas that have produced an explosion of fundamentalist activity in the wake of 9/11.

A leading sociologist of religion provides an accessible introduction to the role of religion in the modern world. Professor Steve Bruce has written a lively book spanning 450 years of conflict between religion and modernization, accessible to the student, scholar and general reader alike.

On the 25th anniversary of the Northern Ireland 'Troubles', the Ulster Loyalists are alienated people. Here, the author provides insights into the Loyalist world-view. Describing the troubles as an ethnic conflict, he argues that failure to take into account the strength and importance of the loyalist identity will scupper the chances of peace.

Steve Bruce's important new study presents a detailed comparative analysis of conservative Protestant politics in the UK, USA, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Reflecting on the nature and place of religion in industrial societies, Bruce examines the constraints that culturally diverse societies place on those who wish to promote political agendas based on religious ideas.

This book provides the student with a comprehensive and accessible overview of the nature and importance of religion in Britain today.