with
Dr. Helen
Cameron, Research Fellow, Wesley Centre, Oxford Brookes University
'Studying the
Local Church: the "so what" question in writing up research'.
Dr. David
Voas, Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research, University
of Manchester
'Measuring
religion, religiosity and spirituality'.
The largest
Sociology of Religion Study Group Postgraduate Conference was recently
held in Burwall's Conference Centre, University of Bristol, thanks
to generous financial assistance from the study group and the hard
work, as ever, of conference organiser Dr Kie
ran
Flanagan.
Twenty-four
postgrads, plus guest speakers Dr Helen Cameron and Dr David Voas,
convenor Dr Peter Gee, Dr Kieran Flanagan and postgraduate officer
Abby Day met for a vibrant, diverse programme.
After
a sherry reception and delicious food for which Burwall's is rightly
famed, we listened to our two guest speakers and enjoyed a lively
question-and-answer period. Dr Helen Cameron, from the Wesley Centre
at Oxford Brookes University, shared her experience of being a mature
postgraduate student and her varied 'portfolio' career of teaching,
research and consultancy. She focused on five important 'so-what'
questions which can help us analyse our research. 
Dr David
Voas, from the Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research
at the University of Manchester, talked about why and to some degree
how we can measure religion and spirituality. He mentioned some of
the pitfalls involved in data collection and analysis, but stressed
throughout the importance of being able to quantify people's beliefs
and behaviours.
On
Saturday morning postgrads met for a session where they divided into
groups matching themes they had identified as important, including:
methodologies; social action; social theory and history. Participants
agreed that the format was ideal to help them network and learn from
others. We agreed we would like, subject to funding, a two-night conference
next year to mark the 10th Anniversary Socrel Postgraduate Conference.
With more time available, workshops on specific issues such as methodology,
publishing and careers would be welcomed. We also discussed
the forthcoming Religion Study Group conference in Manchester, where
several postgrads will present papers and postgrads will meet for
a lunchtime discussion group.
Participants
then broke into separate rooms where they gave and listened to presentations
of work. Research topics ranged widely ranging from, for example:
Quaker experiences; Muslim support groups; African Christians in Liverpool;
nuns in Poland; Catholic church decline; Hare Krishna leadership;
clergy husbands, Melanesian Christian missionaries in Britain; Christian
sustainable consumption; inter-faith communities in Leeds; community
regeneration; iconoclasm; eco-paganism; children in prison; sleep
discipline and Anglican weddings. Constructive discussions helped
people resolve difficulties and gain new ideas.
After
lunch we returned as a main group for a summary and panel discussion.
Kieran reminded us that the purpose of the annual get-together is
to get together. Original research is often isolated and privatised,
making events such as these important for people to network and discuss
their ideas and issues. He said seventy per cent of the conference
participants were new to the group and that their research topics
reflected that 'the sociology of religion is in good order, with new
roots and new shoots'.
