Research Methodology

Society & Religion publishes explanatory articles based on publicly available demographic, historical and social research.

For population statistics, preference is given to national censuses, government statistical agencies, major research institutions and peer-reviewed research.

Religious affiliation can be measured differently between surveys and countries. Some datasets measure self-identification, while others measure membership, belief or religious practice. For that reason, statistics from different sources are not always directly comparable.

Where appropriate, our articles identify the original data source, the year of the data, the population studied, and relevant methodological limitations.

When several reputable estimates differ, we aim to explain the difference rather than presenting one figure as unquestionably definitive.