Sociologists of religion generally agree that social networks play a crucial role in religious life. Social ties channel conversion and recruitment to faith communities and cause people to conform to their commonly accepted religious norms and behaviour. Social networks are important in improving mental and physical health of people embedded in religious communities. Since they also lead people to vote, become politically active and volunteer for secular and religious charities faith networks can have positive effects for civil society and liberal democracies. However, especially very dense social network structures of religious communities can also increase the risk of radicalisation, conflict and violence. Prof. Dr. Sean Everton is one of few scholars who research the complex and ambivalent effects of religious communities for societies by applying social network theory and innovative quantitative methods in social network analysis (SNA).

Afterwards reception with snacks and drinks.

Sean F. Everton
Prof. Dr. Sean F. Everton is a sociologist of religion in the Defense Analysis Department at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California, where he specializes in using social network analysis to disrupt criminal and terrorist networks. Prior to joining NPS in 2007, he served as an adjunct professor at both Santa Clara and Stanford Universities. Prof. Dr. Everton has published in the areas of social network analysis, sociology of religion, economic sociology, and political sociology. His most recent book is “Networks and Religion. Ties That Bind, Loose, Build-Up, And Tear Down” (Cambridge University Press, 2018)