Guy Benton Johnson Jr. (August 19, 1928 – January 8, 2024) was an American sociologist and professor emeritus of the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...
's Department of Sociology.
Biography
Guy Benton Johnson Jr. was born in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, Orange and Durham County, North Carolina, Durham counties, North Carolina, United States. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 United States census, making Chapel Hill the List of municipa ...
, on August 19, 1928, the son of
Guy Benton Johnson
Guy Benton Johnson (February 28, 1901 – March 23, 1991) was an American sociologist and social anthropologist. He was a student of black culture in the rural South and an advocate of racial equality.
Biography
Johnson was born in Caddo Mill ...
and
Guion Griffis Johnson. He was named after his father, but was called "Benny" and continued to use "Benton" in adulthood.
Johnson's father was a sociologist and
anthropologist
An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...
, while his mother was a noted historian. While in college, Johnson met
Miriam Massey. They married on July 21, 1951. Miriam also pursued a successful career in sociology, focusing on
family issues and
gender role
A gender role, or sex role, is a social norm deemed appropriate or desirable for individuals based on their gender or sex.
Gender roles are usually centered on conceptions of masculinity and femininity. The specifics regarding these gendered ...
s. Together they had two children.
Johnson died on January 8, 2024, at the age of 95.
Academic career
Johnson is best known for his work related to the
theory and typology of religious movements. He received a
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
degree from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...
and then, in 1954, a doctorate in sociology from
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
. While at Harvard, he was a student of
Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsons (December 13, 1902 – May 8, 1979) was an American sociologist of the classical tradition, best known for his social action theory and structural functionalism. Parsons is considered one of the most influential figures in soci ...
.
Prior to joining the Department of Sociology at the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...
, Johnson taught at
Guilford College and the
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public university, public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 stud ...
. He has chaired both the University of Oregon's Sociology Department and its Department of Religious Studies.
Between 1972 and 1974, Johnson was Editor of the ''
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
The ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'' (''JSSR'') is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell in the United States under the auspices of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, dedicated to ...
''. He has served as president of the
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (was founded at Harvard University in 1949) was formed to advance research in the social scientific perspective on religious institutions and experiences. The ''Journal for the Scientific Study of ...
(1980–81), the
Association for the Sociology of Religion
The Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR) is an academic association with more than 700 members worldwide. It publishes a journal, ''Sociology of Religion'', and holds meetings at the same venues and times as the American Sociological As ...
(1987) and the
Religious Research Association
The Religious Research Association (RRA) is an association of researchers and religious professionals.
It was created in 1951 as the Religious Research Fellowship, although it existed informally as far back as the 1920s as a partnership between t ...
(1995–96).
Awards
''Vanishing Boundaries: the Religion of Protestant Baby Boomers'', co-written by Johnson, received the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion's annual book award in 1994.
See also
*
List of cult and new religious movement researchers
*
List of sociologists
This list of sociologists includes people who have made notable contributions to sociological theory or to research in one or more areas of sociology.
A
* Peter Abell, British sociologist
* Andrew Abbott, American sociologist
* Margaret A ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Benton
1928 births
2024 deaths
American sociologists
Sociologists of religion
Researchers of new religious movements and cults
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni
Harvard University alumni
Guilford College faculty
University of Texas at Austin faculty
University of Oregon faculty
People from Chapel Hill, North Carolina