The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA) exists for the purpose of promoting and sharing the scholarly study of Mormon life. Any person with an interest in the study of the social, cultural, or religious life of Mormons is eligible to join. MSSA provides contact and association among researchers and educators working in both academic and applied settings. It is interdisciplinary and international in scope and purpose. The association participates in the annual joint meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR) and the Religious Research Association (RRA). MSSA also publishes and distributes a semi-annual newsletter to its members.

call for chapter proposals

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2008-05-06 13:33.
Forthcoming . . .

Genetic Testing of the Mormon Children of Polygamous Parents:
The Legal, Psychological, Anthropological, and Journalistic Ramifications
edited by Herbert Richardson
978-0-7734-5028-8
$39.95 soft cover
Order direct from publisher
716.754.2788
www.mellenpress.com
» read more | login or register to post comments | 58 reads

Spring 2008 Newsletter

Submitted by admin on Thu, 2008-04-24 20:17.

At our last association meeting in November we agreed to hold off posting the newsletter to the website until a month after publication in order to encourage people to join the MSSA and pay their dues (so they can receive the newsletter when published). It appears to have worked as a number of people have recently paid their dues. The latest issue of the newsletter is now available (see below).

» login or register to post comments | 47 reads | 1 attachment

MSSA member in the Salt Lake Tribune

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2008-04-15 13:29.
Mike Nielsen, a long time MSSA member, had his comments published here.
» login or register to post comments | 44 reads

MSSA serves as expert source for news story on polygamist raid

Submitted by admin on Thu, 2008-04-10 14:02. |
The Mormon Social Science Association was contacted by a foreign reporter looking for someone knowledgeable about polygamy from a social scientific perspective.  The reporter was directed to Michael Nielsen, a long-time MSSA member who is currently doing research on polygamy.  Michael Nielsen's thoughts on the developing story were incorporated into the news article, which is available here.  This is a great illustration of how the MSSA website is reaching out to a broader audience to share the
» read more | login or register to post comments | 59 reads

Mormonism in Europe?

Submitted by admin on Sat, 2008-04-05 20:50.
Armand Mauss, a long time MSSA member, is in the news again as a recent article of his is provoking discussion about the future of Mormonism in Europe.  Another long time member of the MSSA, Grant Underwood, is also mentioned in the story.
» login or register to post comments | 78 reads

LATimes story features MSSA member

Submitted by admin on Thu, 2008-04-03 20:24.
Armand Mauss is featured in an LATimes article on Mormons and Muslims.
» login or register to post comments | 58 reads

Vernon's Sociology of Mormonism

Submitted by admin on Sun, 2008-03-30 18:56.

While Glenn M. Vernon was not the first sociologist to analyze Mormonism, he was arguably the first to attempt to organize the social scientific study of the LDS church into a specific field of inquiry. This 1975 text was used in his sociology of Mormonism classes at the University of Utah, and it contains a wealth of social science data on a variety of subjects. While many of the studies are dated, they give important insights into Mormon thinking and behavior in the era just before the internationalization of the faith began to accelerate. Hence, for anyone interested in the history or development of Mormon thought, Vernon's work is a veritable treasure trove.

» read more | login or register to post comments | 88 reads

new Dialogue Editor

Submitted by admin on Mon, 2008-03-24 15:34.
After a lengthy and thorough search, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, has a new editor.  Peggy Fletcher Stack has a good write up about it here.  You can also see the announcement on Dialogue's website.
» login or register to post comments | 76 reads

online talk from MSSA member addresses changes resulting from changed priesthood policy

Submitted by admin on Mon, 2008-03-10 13:28.

Marcus Martins, a member of the MSSA, recently delivered a retrospective speech looking at how the 1978 Revelation on the Priesthood brought changes in Mormonism. The speech is available on Dr. Martins's website here.

» login or register to post comments | 86 reads

new journal on Mormonism available

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2008-03-04 18:12.
The British Journal of Mormon Studies is a newly founded journal that has just released its inaugural issue.  You can download it for free here. The journal is interested in submissions, though they prefer worldwide foci in the articles. Send abstracts of no more than 200 words to:

submissions@bjmsonline.org

» login or register to post comments | 91 reads