Originally published in various issues of Journal for the study of the Old Testament.

Theory and methodology. On applying a sociological theory to Biblical studies / Cyril S. Rodd -- Sociological and literary approaches to the Bible : how shall the twain meet? / David Jobling -- Using the Nuer culture of Africa in understanding the Old Testament : an evaluation / David Fiensy -- The 'popular religion' paradigm in Old Testament research : a sociological critique / J. Berlinerblau -- Sociology of knowledge. The impact of modern and social science assumptions on the reconstruction of Israelite history / Gary A. Herion -- Literacy and domination : G.A. Herion's sociology of history writing / Mark G. Brett -- Early Israel in sociological and anthropological perspective. Chiefs in Israel / James W. Flanagan -- Was early Israel a segmentary society? / J.W. Rogerson -- The identity of early Israel : the realignment and transformation of late Bronze-Iron Age Palestine / Keith W. Whitelam -- The regulation of social life : law, ethics and deviance.

Customary law and chieftainship : judicial aspects of 2 Samuel 14.4-21 / Elizabeth Bellefontaine -- Shame as a sanction of social control in Biblical Israel : judicial, political, and social shaming / Lyn M. Bechtel -- Stratification, power and social justice. Theodicy in a social dimension / Walter Brueggemann -- Poverty in the social world of the wise / J. David Pleins -- Latifundialization and Isaiah 5.8-10 / D.N. Premnath -- Social groupings and social roles. Seeing is believing : the social setting of prophetic acts of power / Thomas W. Overholt -- The social location of the deuteronomists : a sociological study of factional politics in late pre-exilic Judah / Patricia Dutcher-Walls -- Role dedifferentiation in the book of Ruth / Jon L. Berquist -- Inclusion, exclusion and marginality in the book of Joshua / Lori Rowlett.