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Inger Furseth

Professor emerita

Email inger.furseth@sosgeo.uio.no

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Academic Interests

Sociology of religion, Social movements, Migration, Gender, Sociological theory, Writing and Research design

Teaching

SOS 2700 Religious fundamentalism, extremism and violence

Higher education and employment history

Research director Department of Sociology and Human Geography, March 2020 -
Professor Department of Sociology and Human Geography, September 2013 -
Associate professor Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo, January-August 2013
Interim Research Director KIFO Centre for Church Research 2012-2013
Research Associate KIFO Centre for Church Research 1997-2013
Adjunct Professor Norwegian School of Theology 2005-2012
Research Associate The Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California 2002-2013
Visiting Scholar University of California at Santa Barbara, 2000-2001, 1990-1991, 1988-1989
Dr. polit 2000, University of Oslo

Full CV (in PDF)

Appointments

Editorial positions:

Editor of Religion and Social Order book series (Brill), 2016-
Co-editor Nordic Journal of Religion and Society (level 2) 2004-

Other appointments:

Adjunct Professor KIFO Centre for Church Research 2013-
President International Society for the Sociology of Religion/Société Internationale de Sociologie des Religions (ISSR/SISR), 2019-
Vice-President International Society for the Sociology of Religion/Société Internationale de Sociologie des Religions (ISSR/SISR), 2015-2019
Council member Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR), 2016 – 2018
Vice-President International Sociological Association (ISA), Research Committee 22 (Sociology of religion), 2006-2014
Board of directors The Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies, 2015 – current
Board of directors Nordic Board for Periodicals in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NOP-HS), 2021 – current
Leader of the arranging committee for the Nordic Conference for the Sociology of Religion (NCSR), Oslo, August 1-3, 2018
Board of directors Ansgar Theological College 2010-2012
Member of the arranging committee for the Nordic Conference for the Sociology of Religion (NCSR), Kristiansand, August 4-6 2010
Board of directors Centre for Church Research 2002-2008
Member of the arranging committee for the Nordic Conference for the Sociology of Religion (NCSR), Oslo, August 10-13 2000

Research administration and cooperation

Co-Investigator in the research program “Nonreligion in a Complex Future” at University of Ottawa, Canada, November 2019-2025 (see https://nonreligionproject.ca). The project includes Canada, the US, the UK, Brazil, Argentina, Australia and the Nordic countries.
Principle Investigator of the NORDCORP (NOS-HS research project “The role of religion in the public sphere. A comparative study of the five Nordic Countries” (NOREL) 2009-2014 (see www.religioninpublicsphere.no). The project cooperated with Uppsala University, Sweden, Aarhus University, Denmark, Church Research Institute, Finland, University of Iceland, and University of Agder, Norway.
Leader of KIFO research area, “Religion in the public sphere” (ROR), 2005-2008
Leader of the KIFO Research project “Life Stories and Worldviews” 2000-2004

Tags: Sociology, Sociology of Religion, Social Movements, Migration, Gender

Furseth, Inger & Urstad, Sivert Skålvoll (2024). Religion i Norden. In Brottveit, Ånund & Rafoss, Tore Witsø (Ed.), Folkekirke i et livssynsåpent samfunn - Perspektiver på Den norske kirke 2019–2023. Stiftelsen Kirkeforskning. ISSN 9788292972670. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2024). What can women in classical sociology teach us about contemporary sociology of religion? Social Compass. ISSN 0037-7686. 71(2), p. 195–211. doi: 10.1177/00377686241260197. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This article presents the main work of two women in classical sociology, Harriet Martineau (1802–1876) and Ida B. Wells (1862–1931). While some sociologists have pointed to the significance of their work and that of other early women classical sociologists, most sociologists, and in particular, most sociologists of religion, have ignored their work. This article asks which themes in sociology and the sociology of religion these women addressed that many male classical sociologists failed to address. How does the study of these two women point to important issues in current sociology of religion? The analysis shows that central themes in the work of Martineau and Wells were the intersections of religion, gender, race, and social class. Their work also points to another highly important issue seldom addressed in current sociology of religion, namely the link between various forms of religion and the realization of democracy.
Furseth, Inger; Kühle, Lene; Lundby, Knut & Lövheim, Mia (2019). Religious Complexity in Nordic Public Spheres. Nordic Journal of Religion and Society. ISSN 0809-7291. 32(1), p. 71–90. doi: 10.18261/issn.1890-7008-2019-01-05. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This article studies empirically the complexity of religion in the public sphere by systematically comparing the five Nordic countries. Sociologists debate if current trends in the West point to secularization or a return of religion (deprivatization, desecularization, or post-secularity). By drawing on the social science complexity reference, this article offers a critique of current scholarship and introduces the concept of religious complexity. The empirical study asks how religion is regulated, debated, and negotiated in the state, the polity, the media, and civil society in the Nordic countries since the 1980s. It is based on multiple sources of data. The analysis shows several religious trends at different levels: A growing secularization at the individual level, and the deprivatization of religion in politics, the media, and civil society. The conclusion outlines the religious complexity in the Nordic countries and discusses possible explanations that link the different and seemingly inconsistent trends.
Furseth, Inger (2019). From Theories of Secularization and Return of Religion to Religious Complexity. In Repstad, Pål Steinar (Eds.), Political Religion, Everyday Religion : Sociological Trends. Brill. ISSN 9789004397965. p. 34–48. doi: 10.1163/9789004397965_004. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2018). Secularization, Deprivatization, or Religious Complexity? In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religious Complexity in the Public Sphere. Comparing Nordic Countries. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783319556772. p. 291–312. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-55678-9_7. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger; Ahlin, Lars; Ketola, Kimmo; Leis-Peters, Annette Rose; Repstad, Pål Steinar & Sigurvinsson, Bjarni Randver [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2018). Faith and Worldview Communities and Their Leaders - Inward or Outward Looking? In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religious Complexity in the Public Sphere. Comparing Nordic Countries. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783319556772. p. 251–289. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-55678-9_6. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2018). Introduction. In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religious Complexity in the Public Sphere. Comparing Nordic Countries. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783319556772. p. 1–29. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger; Ahlin, Lars; Ketola, Kimmo; Leis-Peters, Annette Rose & Sigurvinsson, Bjarni Randver (2018). Changing Religious Landscapes in the Nordic Countries. In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religious Complexity in the Public Sphere. Comparing Nordic Countries. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783319556772. p. 31–80. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-55678-9_2. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2017). The Return of Religion in the Public Sphere? The Public Role of Nordic Faith Communities. In Engelstad, Fredrik; Larsen, Håkon; Rogstad, Jon & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (Ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISSN 9783110546330. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The main focus of the book is institutional change in the Scandinavian model, with special emphasis on Norway. There are many reasons to pay closer attention to the Norwegian case when it comes to analyses of changes in the public sphere. In the country’s political history, the arts and the media played a particular role in the processes towards sovereignty at the beginning of the 20th century. On a par with the other Scandinavian countries, Norway is in the forefront in the world in the distribution and uses of Internet technology. As an extreme case, the most corporatist society within the family of the “Nordic Model”, it offers an opportunity both for intriguing case studies and for challenging and refining existing theory on processes of institutional change in media policy and cultural policy. It supplements two recent, important books on political economy in Scandinavia: Varieties of Liberalization and the New Politics of Social Solidarity (Kathleen Thelen, 2014), and The Political Construction of Business Interests (Cathie Jo Martin and Duane Swank, 2013). There are further reasons to pay particular attention to the Scandinavian, and more specifically the Norwegian cases: (i) They are to varying degrees neo-corporatist societies, characterized by ongoing bargaining over social and political reform processes. From a theoretical perspective this invites reflections which, to some extent, are at odds with the dominant conceptions of institutional change. Neither models of path dependency nor models of aggregate, incremental change focus on the continuous social bargaining over institutional change. (ii) Despite recent processes of liberalization, common to the Western world as a whole, corporatism implies a close connection between state, public sphere, cultural life, and religion. This also means that institutions are closely bundled, in an even stronger way than assumed for example in the Varieties of Capitalism literature. Furthermore, we only have scarce insight in the way the different spheres of corporatism are connected and interact. In the proposed edited volume we have collected historical-institutional case studies from a broad set of social fields (a detailed outline of contents and contributors is attached): • Critical assessments of Jürgen Habermas’ theory of the public sphere • Can the public sphere be considered an institution? • The central position of the public sphere in social and political change in Norway • Digital transformations and effects of the growing PR industry on the public sphere • Institutionalization of social media in local politics and voluntary organizations • Legitimation work in the public sphere • freedom of expression and warning in the workplace • “Return of religion” to the public sphere, and its effects.
Breistein, Ingunn Folkestad & Furseth, Inger (2017). A coherent public Policy on Religion in Norway? An Analysis og the 2013 Report "A Society open to Religious and Worldview Diversity". In Lefebvre, Solange & Brodeur, Patrice (Ed.), Public Commissions on Cultural and Religious Diversity. Routledge. ISSN 9781472472885. p. 217–239. doi: 10.4324/9781315602844-16. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2016). Religion I Norden - fra privatisering til religiøs kompleksitet. In Frønes, Ivar & Kjølsrød, Lise (Ed.), Det norske samfunn, bind 3. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISSN 9788205496927. p. 274–293. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger; Repstad, Pål Steinar; Urstad, Sivert Skålvoll & Utaker, Ole Edvin (2015). Tros- og livssynssamfunnene og deres ledere - innadvendte eller utadvendte? In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religionens tilbakekomst i offentligheten? Religion, politikk, medier, stat og sivilsamfunn i Norge siden 1980-tallet. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215024431. p. 139–168. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2015). Sosiologiske studier av religion som kultur. In Larsen, Håkon (Eds.), Kultursosiologisk forskning. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215024998. p. 120–130. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2015). Religionens tilbakekomst, nedgang eller økende kompleksitet? In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religionens tilbakekomst i offentligheten? Religion, politikk, medier, stat og sivilsamfunn i Norge siden 1980-tallet. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215024431. p. 169–182. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2015). Et religiøst landskap I endring 1988-2013. In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religionens tilbakekomst i offentligheten? Religion, politikk, medier, stat og sivilsamfunn i Norge siden 1980-tallet. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215024431. p. 21–37. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2015). Innledning. In Furseth, Inger (Eds.), Religionens tilbakekomst i offentligheten? Religion, politikk, medier, stat og sivilsamfunn i Norge siden 1980-tallet. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215024431. p. 9–20. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2014). Hijab street fashion og stil i Oslo. Sosiologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0804-0486. 1(22), p. 5–27. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2014). The Ambiguity of Secular and Religious Space: The Norwegian Penitentiary System. In Breemer, Rosemarie van den; Wyller, Trygve E & Casanova, Jose (Ed.), Secular and Sacred? The Scandinavian Case of Religion in Human Rights, Law and Public Space. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. ISSN 9783525604496. p. 152–169. doi: 10.13109/9783666604492.152. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The crisis of modern Western secularity has prompted an analysis of the category of the secular. The presumption that modernity would lead to religious decline and the increasing privatization of religion, and that this European pattern could serve as a universal template for modernization, has given way to an investigation into the variety of secularities, secularizations, and secularisms. Consequently, the focus has shifted to multiple secularities in a variety of national and cultural contexts, both in Europe and elsewhere. Scandinavian countries such as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are notably underresearched in this respect. In global comparisons, they are often grouped under Europe, but in European debates, they are often omitted or placed in the category of countries with established churches (such as England or Greece). Their distinctively Lutheran brand of Protestantism poses a challenge to our theories of secularization and our conceptions of secularity. These Nordic countries are characterized by a highly secular public (in terms of belief and practice), yet a strong religious presence in their legal systems and public institutions. From the perspective of Protestant theology, this ambiguity has been characterized as ‘a hidden sacrality’ in the secular. More interdisciplinary research is, however, needed. From a social-scientific perspective, this ambiguity has not been addressed beyond noting a lack of secularity or secularization. This book examines Scandinavian secularity and explores a range of explanations and interpretations of this ambiguous reality. Drawing on contributions from the social sciences (law, sociology, and political science) and theology and religious studies, the book's contributors explore ways to come to terms with this ambiguity within their respective disciplines.
Furseth, Inger & Urstad, Sivert Skålvoll (2013). Stedets symbolske betydning. Religiøse minoriteters minnemarkeringer. In Aagedal, Olaf; Botvar, Pål Ketil & Høeg, Ida Marie (Ed.), Den offentlige sorgen : markeringer, ritualer og religion etter 22. juli. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215020815. p. 112–135. Full text in Research Archive
Repstad, Pål Steinar & Furseth, Inger (2012). Where are the gaps in our knowledge? In Row, Anna & Pettersson, Per (Ed.), Consolidating Research on Religion: Moving thee Agenda Forward. Uppsala universitet. ISSN 9789155483180. p. 43–46. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2012). From "Everything has a meaning" to " I want to believe in something" : religious change between two generations of women in Norway. In Heelas, Paul (Eds.), Spirituality in the modern world : within religious tradition and beyond. Vol. 1: Overview: Spirituality, the perennial and the zoned. Routledge. ISSN 9780415495318. p. 452–464. doi: 10.1177/0037768605052596. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Source: Social Compass, 52:2 (2005), 157-68
Furseth, Inger (2011). Why in the city? : explaining urban fundamentalism. In AlSayyad, Nezar & Massoumi, Mejgan (Ed.), The fundamentalist city? : religiosity and the remaking of urban space. Routledge. ISSN 9780415779364. p. 27–50. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2011). Social capital and immigrant religion. Nordic Journal of Religion and Society. ISSN 0809-7291. 21(2), p. 147–164. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2011). The hijab : boundary work and identity negotiations among immigrant Muslim women in the Los Angeles area. Review of religious research. ISSN 0034-673X. 52(4), p. 365–385. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Kühle, Lene (2011). Prison chaplaincy from a Scandinavian perspective. Archives de Sciences Sociales des Religions. ISSN 0335-5985. p. 123–141. doi: 10.4000/assr.22784. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2010). Atheism, secularity and gender. In Zuckerman, Phil (Eds.), Atheism and secularity. Vol. 1: Issues, concepts, and definitions. Praeger. ISSN 9780313351839. p. 209–227. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2009). Religion in the works of Habermas, Bourdieu, and Foucault, The Oxford handbook of the sociology of religion. Oxford University Press. ISSN 9780199279791. p. 98–115. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2005). From "Everything has a meaning" to "I want to believe in something." Religious change between two generations of women in Norway. Social Compass. ISSN 0037-7686. p. 157–168. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2003). Secularization and the role of religion in state institutions. Social Compass. ISSN 0037-7686. 50(2), p. 191–202. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2002). The social construction of charisma. Tidsskrift for kirke, religion og samfunn. ISSN 0802-0167. 15(2), p. 67–83. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2001). Women's role in historic religious and political movements. Sociology of religion. ISSN 1069-4404. 62, p. 199–123. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2000). The rights of Muslims in state institutions - prisons and the military. International Journal on Multicultural Societies. 2(1), p. 1–7. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (1999). The role of women in the Hauge movement. Lutheran Quarterly. ISSN 0024-7499. xiii, p. 395–422. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (1995). Teorier om sosiale bevegelser. En komparativ analyse. Sosiologi i dag. ISSN 0332-6330. 4, p. 3–22. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (1994). Civil religion in a low key: The case of Norway. Acta Sociologica. ISSN 0001-6993. 37, p. 39–64. Full text in Research Archive

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Furseth, Inger & Repstad, Pål Steinar (2023). Innføring i religionssosiologi, 2. utgave. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215069784. 421 p. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Dette er en grundig revisjon av en bok som kom i 2003, med mye nytt stoff.
Furseth, Inger & Repstad, Pål Steinar (2023). An Introduction to the Sociology of Religion. Second Edition. Routledge. ISBN 9781032002590. 318 p. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This is a thoroughly revised version of a book from 2006. It is also available as e-book, ISBN 978-1-003-17338-0. DOI: 10.4324/9781003173380
Furseth, Inger & Repstad, Pål Steinar (2021). Modern Sociologists on Society and Religion. Routledge. ISBN 9781032020075. 262 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Repstad, Pål Steinar (2021). Moderne sosiologer om samfunn og religion. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215012926. 336 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Larry, Everett Euris (2021). Masteroppgaven - hvordan begynne og fullføre, 3. utgave. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215046495. 200 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2018). Religious Complexity in the Public Sphere. Comparing Nordic Countries. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9783319556772. 312 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2015). Religionens tilbakekomst i offentligheten? Religion, politikk, medier, stat og sivilsamfunn i Norge siden 1980-tallet. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215024431. 226 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger; Vilaca, Helena; Pace, Enzo & Pettersson, Per (2014). The changing soul of Europe. Ashgate. ISBN 9781472434692. 265 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Everett, Euris Larry (2013). Doing your Master's dissertation. From start to finish. Sage Publications. ISBN 9781446263990. 157 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Everett, Euris Larry (2012). Masteroppgaven. Hvordan begynne - og fullføre. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215019499. 187 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Repstad, Pål Steinar (2011). Din sosyolojisine giris. Birlesik. ISBN 9786055515256. 408 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Stifoss-Hanssen, Hans (2008). Mellom prinsipper og pragmatism. Analyse av høringen mellom stat og kirke. Tapir Akademisk Forlag. ISBN 9788251923156. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Leer-Salvesen, Paul (2007). Religion in Late Modernity. Essays in Honor of Pål Repstad. Tapir Akademisk Forlag. ISBN 9788251922111. 233 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Repstad, Pål Steinar (2006). An introduction to the sociology of religion. Ashgate. ISBN 9780754656531. 241 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2006). From quest for truth to being oneself : religious change in life stories. Peter Lang Publishing Group. ISBN 9783631553411. 325 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger & Repstad, Pål Steinar (2003). Innføring i religionssosiologi. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215004174. 275 p. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2002). A Comparative Study of Social and Religious Movements in Norway, 1780s-1905. Edwin Mellen Press. ISBN 9780773471955. 452 p. Full text in Research Archive

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Collins, Patricia Hill; Silva, Elaini Cristina Gonzaga da; Ergun, Emek; Furseth, Inger; Bond, Kanisha D. & Martínez-Palacios, Jone (2021). Intersectionality as Critical Social Theory: Intersectionality as Critical Social Theory, Patricia Hill Collins, Duke University Press, 2019. Contemporary Political Theory. ISSN 1470-8914. 20(3), p. 690–725. doi: 10.1057/s41296-021-00490-0. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2021). Religious complexity: theorizing multiple religious trends. Journal of Contemporary Religion. ISSN 1353-7903. doi: 10.1080/13537903.2021.1889138. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2014). Hijab street fashion and style in Oslo. In Furseth, Inger; Vilaca, Helena; Pace, Enzo & Pettersson, Per (Ed.), The changing soul of Europe. Ashgate. ISSN 9781472434692. p. 209–230. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2013). Hijab - street fashion og stil i Oslo. In Løvland, Anne; Repstad, Pål Steinar & Tønnesen, Elise Seip (Ed.), Sanselig Religion. Verbum Forlag. ISSN 9788254312537. p. 28–29. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger; Repstad, Pål Steinar & Urstad, Sivert Skålvoll (2012). Building bridges or protecting islands? A study of national religious leaders in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2011). Norway. In Juergensmeyer, Mark & Roof, Wade Clark (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Religion. Sage Publications. ISSN 9780761927297. p. 948–949. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2011). Sweden. In Juergensmeyer, Mark & Roof, Wade Clark (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Religion. Sage Publications. ISSN 9780761927297. p. 1243–1244. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2011). Nordic countries. In Juergensmeyer, Mark & Roof, Wade Clark (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Religion. Sage Publications. ISSN 9780761927297. p. 929–934. Full text in Research Archive
Furseth, Inger (2011). Iceland. In Juergensmeyer, Mark & Roof, Wade Clark (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Religion. Sage Publications. ISSN 9780761927297. p. 542–542. Full text in Research Archive
Repstad, Pål Steinar & Furseth, Inger (2011). Where are the gaps in our knowledge? Full text in Research Archive Show summary
An outline of important topics and perspectives to be taken up in the scientific study of sontemporary religion

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Published Oct. 8, 2013 8:35 AM - Last modified Mar. 11, 2026 10:32 AM

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Inger Furseth

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