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Faith Development Research Network

The Research Center for Biographical Studies in Contemporary Religion hosts empirical research projects using biographical-analytical instruments to investigate the broad range of religious orientations represented in contemporary culture. While focussing on the religious landscape in Germany, research in the Center engages in cross-cultural comparison, especially with the U.S.A., but also with immigrants' cultures of origin, such as Turkey.

We have developed, tested and continue to develop research designs for biographical research in religion - with special attention to instuments for analyzing religious styles and schemata, and also the development of faith. We have experience in computer-assisted evaluation procedures in faith development and narrative interview analysis, in entering results form theses qualitative evalutation into SPSS and in triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data in general.

The Center also has established co-operations with other universities and international institutions in pursuit of distinguished research in religion. Cooperation with institutions and researchers who focus on religious development and new religious movements are of special significance. With psychologist Ralph W. Hood, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, we have developed a close cooperation in our research. Research cooperation has been established also with Uzeyir Ok, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas (Turkey).