DEMOGRAPHIC METHODS FOR THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION : ANALISIS NARATIF PEMIKIRAN MICHAEL HOUT
Abstract
This article reviews Michael Hout’s Demographic Methods for the Sociology of Religion as presented in the Handbook of the Sociology of Religion edited by Michele Dillon. The review aims to critically evaluate the theoretical relevance, methodological rigor, and analytical contribution of demographic approaches to contemporary sociology of religion. Using a narrative-sociological framework, the paper interprets Hout’s demographic perspective: fertility, marriage, migration, and religious socialization through the lens of agency structure dynamics and embodiment. This study employs qualitative document analysis and conceptual mapping, comparing Hout’s arguments with classical (Durkheim) and post-secular theorists (Casanova, Taylor). The findings indicate that demographic methods not only explain long-term religious change but also illuminate the social mechanisms underpinning religious continuity and differentiation. The article concludes that demographic approaches remain indispensable for understanding religious transformation in late modernity, especially in highly diverse contexts such as Indonesia.
Artikel ini menelaah karya Michael Hout Demographic Methods for the Sociology of Religion dalam Handbook of the Sociology of Religion yang disunting Michele Dillon. Kajian ini bertujuan mengevaluasi relevansi teoretis, ketelitian metodologis, dan kontribusi analitis pendekatan demografi dalam sosiologi agama kontemporer. Dengan menggunakan kerangka narrative sociology, artikel menafsirkan perspektif demografis Hout: fertilitas, perkawinan, migrasi, dan sosialisasi agama dalam relasi agency structure dan embodiment. Studi ini menggunakan analisis dokumen kualitatif dan pemetaan konseptual, membandingkan argumen Hout dengan teori klasik (Durkheim) dan teori post-sekuler (Casanova, Taylor). Temuan menunjukkan bahwa metode demografi tidak hanya menjelaskan perubahan keagamaan jangka panjang, tetapi juga mengungkap mekanisme sosial yang menopang kesinambungan dan diferensiasi agama. Artikel menegaskan bahwa pendekatan demografi tetap esensial untuk memahami transformasi agama pada era modernitas lanjut, terutama di konteks majemuk seperti Indonesia.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/e.v25i2.93767
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