Robert Wuthnow

Papers

Total Citations

108

H-Index

About

Robert Wuthnow is a leading sociologist of religion whose work has fundamentally reshaped how scholars understand the changing landscape of American faith. His research focuses on religious practice, spirituality, and institutional change, with a particular emphasis on how cultural and political forces shape belief. In his highly influential work *Inventing American Religion* (2015, 108 citations), Wuthnow critically examines the billion-dollar polling industry that floods public discourse with data on religious behavior. He reveals how polls claiming that 40 percent of Americans attend weekly services, or that African Americans and Jews are abandoning religion, often distort reality by oversimplifying complex spiritual lives. Beyond this, Wuthnow’s broader contributions—including his landmark studies on small groups, civic engagement, and the restructuring of American religion—have earned him over 20,000 total citations, making him one of the most cited sociologists of religion alive. A former director of Princeton’s Center for the Study of Religion, his work remains essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the nuanced, often contradictory currents of faith in modern America.