Social Research Methods

“This book fills an important niche for postgraduate researchers embarking on empirical research in Practical Theology or Religious Studies. Those who have little or no background in the social sciences will find this a clear and well-structured introduction on how to conceive a research project and what methods are available to answer their research questions. Reading this before they embark on their journey could save a lot of problems further down the road.”

ANDREW VILLAGE, Professor of Practical and Empirical Theology, York St John University

“Here is a fascinating and engaging handbook every researcher in theology and religious studies should read and assimilate. It fulfils a felt need by pooling the wealth of sociological methodologies and applying them to the scientific study of lived religion. The author has done a unique service, and his work will remain a point of reference for years.”

FELIX WILFRED, Founder and Director of Asian Centre for Cross Cultural Studies, Chennai

“The highly readable, yet exhaustive and authoritative text covers all aspects of the variety of methods available to contemporary scientists who either produce or evaluate empirical research. The text is intended for students and scholars of theology and religious studies, but anyone interested in how religion is practiced in different cultural contexts and want to understand individual lived experiences and interpretations will find this text an invaluable guide.”

RALPH W. HOOD Jr., Professor of Psychology, University of Tennessee

“Compared to other approaches to theology and religious studies, missiology has the propensity to use social science methods. This clearly written introduction to complex terrain will enable students to navigate it and develop tools for their own project, and students are more likely to recognize their research interests in its examples. Especially useful features include the glossary and the section on student supervisors/mentors and examiners. This volume is authoritative and cognisant of other leading texts.”

KIRSTEEN KIM, Pierson Professor of World Christianity, Fuller Theological Seminary

“My hope is that this very practical book, using up-to-date resources will help to develop this important form of study further.

ROBIN GILL, Emeritus Professor of Applied Theology, University of Kent

“This is a valuable resource written in a way that theological students will understand, and supervisors will appreciate! It takes the student “by the hand” from the formulation of the research topic through methodological positioning and choices and closes with a chapter on supervision expectations. I look forward to prescribing it to my own postgraduate students.”

NADINE BOWERS DU TOIT, Professor-Theology and Development, University of Stellenbosch

”This volume fills an important gap in the field by bringing social scientific methods into theology and religious studies. All parties in this conversation have much to gain from a sustained dialogue, and this book moves us in that direction.”

JOHN BARTKOWSKI, Professor-Sociology, University of Texas at San Antonio

The book aims to catalyze theological scholarship using social research methods with scientific precision. Scholars, educators, and graduate students will find this text a welcome resource.

DAVID TARUS, Executive Director, ACTEA

Joshua Iyadurai, PhD is the founder and director of Marina Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Religion (MCISR), Chennai. He is a theological educator and a social scientist who is passionate about teaching social research methods in hopes of bringing a paradigm shift in theological research to engage people as a source of constructing theology. His ability to generate a passion for social research among students is one hallmark of his lectures. He has been teaching research methods for more than a decade and supervising students using social research methods for their theological research in several institutions that included the University of Roehampton-online, London, University of Madras, Chennai, and South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS), Bangalore. He has been a resource person for research methods seminars that equip seminary students in using social research methods and workshops to equip faculty for supervising students in using social research methods for their dissertations. He authored Transformative Religious Experience: A Phenomenological Understanding of Religious Conversion and has contributed several book chapters and articles on religious conversion. He is available for leading research methods seminars for students and faculty development workshops for faculty to supervise and examine dissertations/theses using social research methods.

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