Organisation profile

ISOR research group was founded in 1974 by Prof Joan Estruch Gibert, and it was the first
university research group aimed at studying religion from a sociological perspective in
Catalonia and Spain. ISOR current director is Dr Mar Griera, who is associate professor at the
Sociology department and also an ICREA Academia awardee (2021-26). During its forty plus years
of existence, ISOR has been leader in research on issues broadly related to religion and
culture. ISOR’s current principal research lines are the following: (a)Religion and Politics;
(b)Religion, Science and Health; (c)Lived Religion; (d)Heritage, memory and community. The
group is currently carrying out an important number of research projects, characterised by a
strong theoretical grounding combined with an empirical dimension. ISOR is also renowned for
promoting scientific exchange, for providing support and mentorship to early-career scholars
and for its many collaborations with international researcher centers.