The International Society for the Sociology of Religion is a multi-lingual and international association that gathers academics from all over the world, whose areas of research involve religion. The ISSR organises a conference every two years, a particularly rewarding occasion, which is also a great opportunity for researchers to present their work, socialise and learn from academics who are interested in the same field.

In order to promote the work of postgraduate students and academics near the beginning of their career, this news-list has two main goals. It seeks to organise a dynamic network of new researchers with the following aims :

1. To share information and resources regarding the sociology of religion: conferences and meetings, courses and university programmes, books and scientific journals, grants, and so forth. Sharing experience, methods and ideas can be very fruitful and stimulating for research: you might find yourself in touch on the network with someone who works on a topic very close to your own! As this Network is devoted to New Researchers’ needs and interests, discussions on the news list can be informal.

2. To prepare an attractive and well-structured forum for New Researchers during ISSR conferences (the next one will be held in the summer of 2011 in Aix-en-Provence, France). In those forums, we will all have the opportunity to present a paper, submit our hypothesis for discussion and share our experience with other new researchers and more experienced academics who wish to hear about new research.

We hope that many of you will join this mailing list and participate in the academic activities as well as the social side of life in the ISSR.

Jean-Paul Willaime (President of the ISSR, GSRL/EPHE, France)
Isacco Turina (University of Bologna, Italy)