The Section of Sociology of Religion was founded on the 10^th December 1987 at the initiative of Władysław Piwowarski and Edward Ciupak, two deceased nestors of Polish post-war sociology, after creating the organizational conditions of a founding meeting in Ołtarzewo by Witold Zdaniewicz. Apart from “the founding fathers”, the section has developed to the largest extent owing to Maria Libiszowska-Żółtkowska, Janusz Mariański and Andrzej Wójtowicz and their many years of selfless work for the section.

Ever since the beginning, the main axis of the section’s activity has been the integration of sociologists dealing with religion through annual conferences, published books and provided information. Conferences constitute an excellent forum for the exchange of experience pertaining to our current interests, national and international projects in which we participate and the activity in international associations gathering researchers into religion, such as the International Society for Sociology of Religion (ISSR) or the International Study of Religion in Eastern and Central Europe Association (ISORECEA).

Over the recent years, the number of members registered in 14 regional branches has oscillated near 130. What emerges from the conference meetings and publications is the following profile of the dominating research interests: religiousness of the Polish society; its dimensions, such as morality, practices, faith of the whole society and particular groups (youth, rural and urban population, teachers, entrepreneurs, etc.); religious minorities and new movements; transformations of religious institutions; interrelations of religion with group and individual identity, ethnicity, gender; presence of religion in the public sphere. In the last years, the issues of the so called new spirituality have been included into this scope as well.

Current members of the Section Board (2019-2022)

Andrzej Kasperek, Ph.D. hab. prof. UŚ (University of Silesia in Katowice) – chairman

Marta Kołodziejska, Ph.D. (Polish Academy of Sciences) – vice-chairman

Sławomir Mandes, Ph.D. hab. (University of Warsaw) – secretary

Contact address:

dr hab. Andrzej Kasperek, prof. UŚ, Wydział Sztuki i Nauk o Edukacji, 43-400 Cieszyn, ul. Bielska 62, pokój nr 260; email: andrzej.kasperek@us.edu.pl