Hossein Godazgar

Profile

Hossein Godazgar is Honorary Professor of Sociology. His research encompasses both theoretical and empirical studies exploring the definition “religion” in the context of globalization, organizations, social policies and their impacts on various aspects everyday life. These aspects include (higher) education, consumerism, environmental issues, religious minorities, ethno-religious identities, information technology, mass media, ethics, the value of human life, and physician assisted suicide, particularly within the social contexts of Iran and/or the United Kingdom. He has disseminated his research findings through peer-reviewed journals, book chapters and presentations at national and international conferences.

His current focus centers specifically on the sociological examination of the intersectionality between religion and biomedical ethics. Presently, he is authoring a monograph entitled Social Theory, Religion and Bioethics slated for publication by Brill.

During his career, he has primarily worked at universities in Iran and the United Kingdom as a researcher and academic staff member. His significant tenures include the University of Tabriz in Iran (1990-2007) and the Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education, previously affiliated with the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom (2010-2019), from where he retired as Professor in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies.

He holds degrees in various disciplines, including Islamic Studies (BA, University of Tehran), Comparative Religions and Mysticism (MA, University of Tehran), Practical Ethics: Bioethics, the Environment and the Foundations of Law (MA, University of York), and Sociology (of Religion), in which he holds a PhD from the University of Warwick. Under the guidance of James A. Beckford, his doctoral thesis concentrated on the Weberian analysis of the influences of “religious” factors on educational changes in Iran.

His most recent work includes:

(With H. Mirzaei) Styles of “Religion”, “Non-Religion” and “Spirituality” in Post-Revolutionary Iran: the “Ironic” Impact of “Islam” on People’s “Religiosity”. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies (2023). doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2023.2235132 

Sociology Perspectives on Pilgrimage. Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Pilgrimage: Historical, Current and Future Directions, edited by H. A. Warfield. Oxford: Peter Lang (2023): 177-207.

From “Islamism” to “Spiritualism”? The Individualization of “Religion” in Contemporary Iran. Religions (2020). doi: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/1/32/pdf 

“Islamic Jihad”. The Sage Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion, edited by A. Possamai and A. J. Blasi. California: Sage Publishing (2020): 410-13.

“Ummah”. The Sage Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion, edited by A. Possamai and A. J. Blasi. California: Sage Publishing (2020): 875-77.