Diffused Religion

This book explores the concept of diffused religion as it is found in contemporary society, resulting from a vast process of religious socialisation that continues to pervade our cultural reality. It provides a critical engagement with a framework of non-institutional religion that is based on values largely shared in society by being diffused through primary and secondary socialisation. Cipriani also contends that these very values which give form to diffused religion can also be seen in themselves as their own kind of religion. As a result, they go beyond secularisation and favour the religious continuum extending around the world of diffused religions.

This work will be of great interest to scholars in the Sociology of Religion and to anyone wanting to learn more about the social aspects of religion.

“Diffused Religion: Beyond Secularization is a highly original and invaluable book for the sociology of religion and for sociology in general. … It is well-nigh impossible to do justice to the rich content of this book in a short review. Its scholarship and theoretical importance and scientific quality are outstanding. … Perhaps it is no exaggeration to say that the book may prove a landmark in the sociology of religion.” (Nikos Kokosalakis, Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol. 33 (3), 2018)

“Roberto Cipriani has performed a singular service in relating trends towards diffuse religion in his native Italy to trends on a global scale that have to do with the concrete values informing everyday interaction, often approximating the Golden Rule, and the forms of the generic sacred that support collective integration. He takes us insightfully beyond the simple binary of religious and secular.” (David Martin, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK)

“In this innovative volume, scholars are offered a new approach with which to grapple with the multiple structures, beliefs, rituals and processes that are embraced by such concepts as religion, secularization, culture, values and socialization – not only in the contemporary West, but throughout the world. Cipriani’s concept of diffused religion is a challenging one and one that could suggest new insights and new orders in what some might consider the confusion we call the sociology of religion.” (Eileen Barker, LondonSchool of Economics and Political Science, UK)

“The originality and ambition of this book is extraordinary. It is a three-dimensional treatise on the persistence of religions. The first dimension reveals the building blocks of a theory about the diffusion of religion through values. The second dimension provides supporting arguments from other theorists. And the third dimension examines empirical evidence about diffused religion on a global scale. This is a fascinating book which deserves to be read by all serious students of religion.” (James A. Beckford, University of Warwick, UK)

“Roberto Cipriani’s book is a major, innovative, contribution to the sociology of religion and related perspectives. His treatment of diffused religion is the centerpiece of his volume and he employs his thorough and wide-ranging analytic focus to great effect in contrasting this with civil and invisible religion. Even though he concentrates particularly on Italy he uses the latter as a pivot from which to cover a wide range of religions from around the world.” (Roland Robertson, University of Aberdeen, UK)

Roberto Cipriani is Senior and Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Rome 3, and National President of the Italian Association of University Teachers.