Journal of Contemporary Religion
Encyclopedia
The Journal of Contemporary Religion is a triannual peer-reviewed
academic journal
which covers anthropological, sociological, psychological, and philosophical aspects of religion.
(later at Wolfson College, Oxford
). The journal, which changed its name to the current title in 1995, is published by Routledge
. Its current editor is Elisabeth Arweck (University of Warwick
); Peter B. Clarke, who died in June 2011, will remain listed as co-editor until the end of the year out of respect for his contributions to the field.
An issue of the triannual journal typically features five or six major articles. Other content includes conference reports, research notes, book reviews and review articles, and articles are sometimes illustrated with graphics or photographs.
to Sahaja Yoga
, from the 'Toronto Blessing
' to the nature of fundamentalism
, from 'The Protestant eruption into modern Brazilian politics' to 'Deconfessionalisation in the Netherlands' (in the last three decades or so). There are fieldwork reports, ethnographic accounts, and historical and conceptual studies. The standard of research and analysis is what one would expect from a good academic journal." The review criticised the small number and seemingly arbitrary selection of book reviews, but concluded by stating that "On the whole, then, the journal is a valuable research tool and source of new knowledge for scholars, teachers and others interested in studying the phenomenon of contemporary religion. With nothing really comparable available in the field, it is highly recommended."
, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
, EBSCOhost
, Educational Research Abstracts Online, Multicultural Education Abstracts, New Testament Abstracts, Religious & Theological Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, and Studies on Women and Gender Abstracts.
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
academic journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
which covers anthropological, sociological, psychological, and philosophical aspects of religion.
History and format
The journal was established in 1985 as Religion Today by the Centre for New Religions at King's College, University of London. Its founding editor was Peter B. ClarkePeter B. Clarke
Peter Bernard Clarke was a British scholar of religion and founding editor of the Journal of Contemporary Religion.-Academic career:...
(later at Wolfson College, Oxford
Wolfson College, Oxford
Wolfson College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Located in north Oxford along the River Cherwell, Wolfson is an all-graduate college with over sixty governing body fellows, in addition to both research and junior research fellows. It caters to a wide range of...
). The journal, which changed its name to the current title in 1995, is published by Routledge
Routledge
Routledge is a British publishing house which has operated under a succession of company names and latterly as an academic imprint. Its origins may be traced back to the 19th-century London bookseller George Routledge...
. Its current editor is Elisabeth Arweck (University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
); Peter B. Clarke, who died in June 2011, will remain listed as co-editor until the end of the year out of respect for his contributions to the field.
An issue of the triannual journal typically features five or six major articles. Other content includes conference reports, research notes, book reviews and review articles, and articles are sometimes illustrated with graphics or photographs.
Reception
The Times Higher Education stated in a 1997 review of the journal that "The contributors are invariably academics, mainly from North America and Europe. The style ranges from the homely, almost chatty at times, to the more formal. The articles, however, are on the whole scholarly and, as advertised, treat of a wide range of subjects, from the Brahma KumarisBrahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University or Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya is a monastic, renunciate Millenarian new religious movement of Indian origin...
to Sahaja Yoga
Sahaja Yoga
Sahaja Yoga is a new religious movement founded by Nirmala Srivastava, more widely known as 'Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi' and affectionately as 'Mother' by her followers . According to the movement, Sahaja Yoga is the state of self realization produced by kundalini awakening and is accompanied by the...
, from the 'Toronto Blessing
Toronto Blessing
The Toronto blessing, a term coined by British churches, describes the revival and resulting phenomena that began in January 1994 at the Toronto Airport Vineyard church, now the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship , a neocharismatic evangelical Christian church located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
' to the nature of fundamentalism
Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term "fundamentalism" was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the...
, from 'The Protestant eruption into modern Brazilian politics' to 'Deconfessionalisation in the Netherlands' (in the last three decades or so). There are fieldwork reports, ethnographic accounts, and historical and conceptual studies. The standard of research and analysis is what one would expect from a good academic journal." The review criticised the small number and seemingly arbitrary selection of book reviews, but concluded by stating that "On the whole, then, the journal is a valuable research tool and source of new knowledge for scholars, teachers and others interested in studying the phenomenon of contemporary religion. With nothing really comparable available in the field, it is highly recommended."
Abstracting and indexing
The Journal of Contemporary Religion is abstracted and indexed in Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, British Humanities IndexBritish Humanities Index
The British Humanities Index is a database that indexes journals, magazines, and newspapers published in Great Britain and other English-speaking countries. The Oxford guide to library research described it as a "particularly good British source," stating that it had "headings of its own devising."...
, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
CSA (database company)
CSA Illumina is a provider of online databases, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is now a division of ProQuest, which in turn is now a subsidiary of the Cambridge Information Group...
, EBSCOhost
EBSCO Publishing
EBSCO Publishing, headquartered in Ipswich, Massachusetts, is an aggregator of premium full-text content. EBSCO Publishing's core business is providing online databases via EBSCOhost to libraries worldwide. EBSCOhost is used by libraries, schools, academic institutions, medical institutions, and...
, Educational Research Abstracts Online, Multicultural Education Abstracts, New Testament Abstracts, Religious & Theological Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, and Studies on Women and Gender Abstracts.