John Wilson | Scholars@Duke

John Wilson
Professor Emeritus of Sociology

I received my PH.D. from the University of Oxford in 1966 and taught for two years at the University of East Anglia in England before joining the sociology department at Duke. I have published books on social movements, religion, leisure, sport and social theory. Currently, I am conducting a number of studies of volunteers, looking at who volunteers, for what and how much, and what effect volunteering has on the volunteer.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2008

Contact Information

263 Soc-Psych, Durham, NC 27708
Box 90088, Durham, NC 27708-0088
john.wilson@duke.edu (919) 660-5622

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., University of Oxford (United Kingdom) 1966
Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Professor with Tenure, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 1991 - 2008
- Associate Professor with Tenure, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 1971 - 1990
- Assistant Professor, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 1968 - 1971
Expertise
Global Scholarship
- Expertise
  - United Kingdom (Country)
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Son, Joonmo, and John Wilson. “Is There a Bidirectional Causal Relationship Between Religiosity and Volunteering?” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 60, no. 4 (December 2021): 749–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12742.
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  - Wilson, John, Noemi Mantovan, and Robert M. Sauer. “The economic benefits of volunteering and social class.” Social Science Research 85 (January 2020): 102368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2019.102368.
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  - Wilson, J., and Joonmo Son. “The Connection between Neighboring and Volunteering.” City and Community, 2018.
  - Ingen, E. van, and J. Wilson. “I Volunteer, Therefore I am? Factors Affecting Volunteer Role Identity.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 46, no. 1 (February 1, 2017): 29–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764016659765.
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  - Son, J., and J. Wilson. “The Psycho-Social Processes Linking Income and Volunteering: Chronic Financial Strain and Well-Being.” Sociological Forum 30, no. 4 (December 1, 2015): 1059–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/socf.12208.
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  - Rotolo, T., J. Wilson, and N. Dietz. “Volunteering in the United States in the Aftermath of the Foreclosure Crisis.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 44, no. 5 (October 25, 2015): 924–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764014546669.
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  - Wilson, J., and T. Rotolo. “Social Heterogeneity and Volunteering in US Cities.” Sociological Forum 29, no. 2 (2014): 429–52.
  - Wilson, J., and T. Rotolo. “Volunteering in the United States in the Aftemath of the Foreclosure Crisis.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 44, no. 5 (2014): 924–44.
  - Son, J., and J. Wilson. “Volunteer Work and Hedonic, Eudemonic, and Social Well-Being.” Sociological Forum 27, no. 3 (September 1, 2012): 658–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1573-7861.2012.01340.x.
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  - Son, Joonmo, and John Wilson. “Using Normative Theory to Explain the Effect of Religion and Education on Volunteering.” Sociological Perspectives, July 2012.
  - Wilson, J. “Volunteerism Research: A Review Essay.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 41, no. 2 (January 1, 2012): 176–212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764011434558.
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  - Son, J., and J. Wilson. “Generativity and Volunteering.” Sociological Forum 26, no. 3 (September 1, 2011): 644–67. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1573-7861.2011.01266.x.
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  - Rotolo, Thomas, and John Wilson. “State-Level Differences in Volunteerism in the United States.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 2011, 1–22.
  - Son, Joonmo, and John Wilson. “Religiosity, psychological resources, and physical health.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 50, no. 3 (January 2011): 588–603. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01588.x.
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  - Son, Joonmo, and John Wilson. “Generativity and Volunteering.” Sociological Forum 26 (2011): 645–67.
  - Son, J., and J. Wilson. “Genetic variation in volunteerism.” Sociological Quarterly 51, no. 1 (December 1, 2010): 46–64. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2009.01167.x.
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  - Rotolo, T., J. Wilson, and M. E. Hughes. “Homeownership and volunteering: An alternative approach to studying social inequality and civic engagement.” Sociological Forum 25, no. 3 (September 1, 2010): 570–87. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1573-7861.2010.01196.x.
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  - Wilson, John. “Book Review: Why Good Things Happen to Good People: The Exciting Research That Proves a Link Between Doing Good and Living a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life, by Stephen Post and Jill Neimark. New York: Broadway Books, 2007. 302 pp. $23.95 (hardcover).” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 38, no. 1 (February 2009): 162–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764007311461.
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  - Rotolo, T., and J. Wilson. “Sex segregation in volunteer work.” Sociological Quarterly 48, no. 3 (June 1, 2007): 559–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2007.00089.x.
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  - Rotolo, T., and J. Wilson. “The effects of children and employment status on the volunteer work of American women.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 36, no. 3 (January 1, 2007): 487–503. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764006296848.
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  - Rotolo, T., and J. Wilson. “Substitute or complement? Spousal influence on volunteering.” Journal of Marriage and Family 68, no. 2 (May 1, 2006): 305–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2006.00254.x.
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  - Rotolo, T., and J. Wilson. “Employment sector and volunteering: The contribution of nonprofit and public sector workers to the volunteer labor force.” Sociological Quarterly 47, no. 1 (February 1, 2006): 21–40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2006.00036.x.
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  - Mustillo, S., J. Wilson, and S. M. Lynch. “Legacy volunteering: A test of two theories of intergenerational transmission.” Journal of Marriage and Family 66, no. 2 (May 1, 2004): 530–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2004.00036.x.
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  - Wilson, John. “The Values of Volunteering: Cross‐Cultural Perspectives. Edited by Paul Dekker and Loek Halman. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2003. Pp. xiv+226. $95.00 (cloth); $48.00 (paper).” American Journal of Sociology 109, no. 6 (May 2004): 1540–42. https://doi.org/10.1086/422077.
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  - Rotolo, T., and J. Wilson. “What Happened to the "Long Civic Generation"? Explaining Cohort Differences in Volunteerism.” Social Forces 82, no. 3 (January 1, 2004): 1091–1121. https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.2004.0051.
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  - Wilson, John. “Diminished Democracy: From Membership to Management in American Civic Life. By Theda Skocpol. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2003. Pp. xviii+366. $29.95.” American Journal of Sociology 109, no. 4 (January 2004): 1016–18. https://doi.org/10.1086/382982.
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  - Rotolo, T., and J. Wilson. “Work histories and voluntary association memberships.” Sociological Forum 18, no. 4 (December 1, 2003): 603–19. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SOFO.0000003005.94372.00.
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  - Musick, Marc A., and John Wilson. “Volunteering and depression: the role of psychological and social resources in different age groups.” Social Science & Medicine (1982) 56, no. 2 (January 2003): 259–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0277-9536(02)00025-4.
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  - Musick, Marc, and John Wilson. “Volunteering and Depression.” Social Science and Medicine 56 (2003): 259–69.
  - Wilson, J., and M. Musick. “Doing Well by Doing Good: Volunteering and Occupational Achievement among American Women.” Sociological Quarterly 44, no. 3 (January 1, 2003). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2003.tb00540.x.
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  - Wilson, John. “Offside: Soccer and American Exceptionalism. By Andrei S. Markovits, Steven L. Hellerman. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2001. Pp. xiv+367.” American Journal of Sociology 107, no. 4 (January 2002): 1131–33. https://doi.org/10.1086/343210.
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  - Wilson, John, and Robert D. Putnam. “Dr. Putnam's Social Lubricant.” Contemporary Sociology 30, no. 3 (May 2001): 225–225. https://doi.org/10.2307/3089234.
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  - John Wilson, S. “Review Symposium on Rodney Stark and Roger Finke, Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human Side of Religion.” Review of Religious Research 42 (March 2001): 336–39.
  - Musick, Marc A., John Wilson, and William B Bynum Jr. “Race and Formal Volunteering: The Differential Effects of Class and Religion.” Social Forces 78, no. 4 (June 2000): 1539–1539. https://doi.org/10.2307/3006184.
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  - Wilson, J. “Volunteering.” Annual Review of Sociology 26 (January 1, 2000): 215–40. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.26.1.215.
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  - John Wilson, S. “Race and Formal Volunteering.” Social Forces 78 (January 2000): 1539–71.
  - Wilson, J., and M. A. Musick. “Attachment to volunteering.” Sociological Forum 14, no. 2 (January 1, 1999): 243–72. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021466712273.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “The Effects of Volunteering on the Volunteer.” Law and Contemporary Problems 62 (1999): 141–68.
  - Janoski, T., M. Musick, and J. Wilson. “Being volunteered? The impact of social participation and pro-social attitudes on volunteering.” Sociological Forum 13, no. 3 (January 1, 1998): 495–519. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022131525828.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “Social Resources and Volunteering.” Social Science Quarterly 79 (1998): 799–814.
  - John Wilson, Joshua. “Work, Race, and the American Dream.” Sociological Focus 31 (1998): 17–30.
  - Wilson, John, and Nancy Tatom Ammerman. “Congregation and Community.” Contemporary Sociology 26, no. 6 (November 1997): 769–769. https://doi.org/10.2307/2654677.
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  - Wilson, J., and M. A. Musick. “Work and Volunteering: The Long Arm of the Job.” Social Forces 76, no. 1 (September 1, 1997): 251–72. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/76.1.251.
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  - Wilson, J., and M. Musick. “Who cares? Toward an integrated theory of volunteer work.” American Sociological Review 62, no. 5 (January 1, 1997): 694–713. https://doi.org/10.2307/2657355.
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  - John Wilson, J. “Religious Fundamentalism and Family Behavior.” Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion 8 (1997): 163–91.
  - Wilson, J., and M. Musick. “Religion and marital dependency.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 35, no. 1 (January 1, 1996): 30–40. https://doi.org/10.2307/1386393.
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  - Janoski, Thomas, and John Wilson. “Pathways to Voluntarism: Family Socialization and Status Transmission Models.” Social Forces 74, no. 1 (September 1995): 271–271. https://doi.org/10.2307/2580632.
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  - Wilson, John, and Marc Musick. “Personal Autonomy in Religion and Marriage; Is There a Link?” Review of Religious Research 37, no. 1 (September 1995): 3–3. https://doi.org/10.2307/3512067.
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  - Wilson, John, Enrique Larana, Hank Johnson, and Joseph R. Gusfield. “New Social Movements: From Ideology to Identity.” Social Forces 73, no. 4 (June 1995): 1633–1633. https://doi.org/10.2307/2580476.
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  - Sherkat, Darren E., and John Wilson. “Preferences, Constraints, and Choices in Religious Markets: An Examination of Religious Switching and Apostasy.” Social Forces 73, no. 3 (March 1995): 993–993. https://doi.org/10.2307/2580555.
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  - Musick, Marc, and John Wilson. “Religious Switching for Marriage Reasons.” Sociology of Religion 56, no. 3 (1995): 257–257. https://doi.org/10.2307/3711822.
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  - Wilson, John, and Thomas Janoski. “The Contribution of Religion to Volunteer Work.” Sociology of Religion 56, no. 2 (1995): 137–137. https://doi.org/10.2307/3711760.
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  - Wilson, John, and Darren E. Sherkat. “Returning to the Fold.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 33, no. 2 (June 1994): 148–148. https://doi.org/10.2307/1386601.
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  - Wilson, John, and Robert Wuthnow. “Christianity in the Twenty-First Century: Reflections on the Challenges Ahead.” Contemporary Sociology 23, no. 3 (May 1994): 439–439. https://doi.org/10.2307/2075376.
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  - Wilson, J., I. H. Simpson, and R. Landerman. “Status Variation on Family Farms: Effects of Crop, Machinery, and Off‐farm Work.” Rural Sociology 59, no. 1 (January 1, 1994): 136–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1549-0831.1994.tb00526.x.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “Returning to the Fold.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 33 (1994): 148–61.
  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “Status Variation on Family Farms.” Rural Sociology 59 (1994): 136–53.
  - Wilson, John. “The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure.Juliet B. Schor.” American Journal of Sociology 98, no. 4 (January 1993): 940–41. https://doi.org/10.1086/230106.
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  - Simpson, I. H., J. Wilson, and R. A. Jackson. “The Contrasting Effects of Social, Organizational, and Economic Variables on Farm Production.” Work and Occupations 19, no. 3 (January 1, 1992): 237–54. https://doi.org/10.1177/0730888492019003002.
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  - Wilson, John. “Efficiency and Power in Professional Baseball Players’ Employment Contracts.” Sociology of Sport Journal 8, no. 4 (December 1991): 326–40. https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.8.4.326.
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  - Wilson, J., and S. Sandomirsky. “Religious affiliation and the family.” Sociological Forum 6, no. 2 (June 1, 1991): 289–309. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01114394.
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  - Wilson, John, and Stephen Mennell. “Norbert Elias: Civilization and the Human Self-Image.” Contemporary Sociology 19, no. 5 (September 1990): 763–763. https://doi.org/10.2307/2072400.
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  - Sandomirsky, S., and J. Wilson. “Processes of disaffiliation: Religious mobility among men and women.” Social Forces 68, no. 4 (January 1, 1990): 1211–29. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/68.4.1211.
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  - Wilson, J. ““PUBLIC’ WORK AND SOCIAL PARTICIPATION: The Case of Farm Women.” Sociological Quarterly 31, no. 1 (January 1, 1990): 107–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1990.tb00320.x.
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  - Wilson, John, and Chris Rojek. “Leisure for Leisure: Critical Essays.” Contemporary Sociology 19, no. 1 (January 1990): 116–116. https://doi.org/10.2307/2073508.
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  - Wilson, John, and Colin Campbell. “The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism.” Contemporary Sociology 18, no. 4 (July 1989): 637–637. https://doi.org/10.2307/2073150.
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  - Wilson, John, Mayer N. Zald, and John D. McCarthy. “Social Movements in an Organizational Society.” Social Forces 67, no. 3 (March 1989): 799–799. https://doi.org/10.2307/2579545.
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  - Wilson, John, and Daniel Miller. “Material Culture and Mass Consumption.” Contemporary Sociology 18, no. 1 (January 1989): 112–112. https://doi.org/10.2307/2071982.
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  - Wilson, John, Anthony Giddens, Jonathan Turner, and Peter T. Manicas. “Post-Modern Theory.” Contemporary Sociology 17, no. 5 (September 1988): 706–706. https://doi.org/10.2307/2074031.
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  - Wilson, John, Wade Clark Roof, and William McKinney. “American Mainline Religion: Its Changing Shape and Future.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 27, no. 3 (September 1988): 442–442. https://doi.org/10.2307/1387383.
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  - Wilson, John, and Bill Shaikin. “Sport and Politics: The Olympics and the Los Angeles Games.” Contemporary Sociology 17, no. 4 (July 1988): 532–532. https://doi.org/10.2307/2072737.
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  - Wilson, John, Ida Harper Simpson, and David K. Jackson. “Church Activism among Farm Couples: Measuring the Impact of the Conjugal Unit.” Journal of Marriage and the Family 49, no. 4 (November 1987): 875–875. https://doi.org/10.2307/351980.
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  - Wilson, J. “The Political Economy of Contract Farming.” Review of Radical Political Economics 18, no. 4 (January 1, 1986): 47–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/048661348601800403.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “The Political Economy of the Contract,.” Review of Radical Political Economics 18 (1986): 47–70.
  - Wilson, John, David G. Bromley, and Anson Shupe. “New Christian Politics.” Sociological Analysis 46, no. 3 (1985): 339–339. https://doi.org/10.2307/3710704.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “Charismatic movement.” Encyclopedia of Religion in the South, 1984.
  - WILSON, J. “CORPORATISM AND THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF REFORM.” Journal of Political & Military Sociology 11, no. 1 (January 1, 1983): 53–68.
    Link to Item
  - Wilson, John, and Meredith B. McGuire. “Pentecostal Catholics: Power, Charisma, and Order in a Religious Movement.” Sociological Analysis 43, no. 3 (1982): 277–277. https://doi.org/10.2307/3711265.
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  - Wilson, John, and Harvey K. Clow. “Themes of Power and Control in a Pentecostal Assembly.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 20, no. 3 (September 1981): 241–241. https://doi.org/10.2307/1385546.
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  - Wilson, John, David G. Bromley, and Anson D. Shupe. “"Moonies" in America: Cult, Church, and Crusade.” Contemporary Sociology 10, no. 4 (July 1981): 569–569. https://doi.org/10.2307/2067745.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “Themes of power and control in a Pentecostal assembly,.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 20 (1981): 1981.
  - Wilson, John. “Voluntary Associations and Civil Religion: The Case of Freemasonry.” Review of Religious Research 22, no. 2 (December 1980): 125–125. https://doi.org/10.2307/3510655.
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  - Wilson, J. “Sociology of Leisure.” Annual Review of Sociology 6, no. 1 (August 1980): 21–40. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.06.080180.000321.
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  - Wilson, John, and John F. Wilson. “Public Religion in American Culture.” Sociological Analysis 41, no. 4 (1980): 403–403. https://doi.org/10.2307/3709899.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “Leisure and the private sphere,.” Sociology and Leisure 3 (1980): 299–322.
  - Wilson, John, and Erik Olin Wright. “Class, Crisis and the State.” Social Forces 57, no. 4 (June 1979): 1404–1404. https://doi.org/10.2307/2577281.
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  - Wilson, John. “Making inferences about religious movements.” Religion 7, no. 2 (September 1977): 149–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-721x(77)90021-5.
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  - Wilson, John. “Social Protest and Social Control.” Social Problems 24, no. 4 (April 1977): 469–81. https://doi.org/10.1525/sp.1977.24.4.03a00090.
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  - Wilson, John, Louis A. Zurcher, and R George Kirkpatrick. “Citizens for Decency: Antipornography Crusades as Status Defense.” Social Forces 55, no. 3 (March 1977): 846–846. https://doi.org/10.2307/2577503.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “The rationalization of leisure,.” Politics and Society, 1977, 157–88.
  - Wilson, John, Michael Brown, and Amy Goldin. “Collective Behavior: A Review and Reinterpretation of the Literature.” Social Forces 53, no. 4 (June 1975): 664–664. https://doi.org/10.2307/2576502.
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  - WILSON, J., and K. MANTON. “LOCALISM AND TEMPERANCE.” Sociology and Social Research 59, no. 2 (January 1, 1975): 121–35.
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  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “Magic and the Millennium,.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 13 (1974): 366–73.
  - John Wilson, S. “The de-alienation of Peter Berger,.” Soundings, December 1969, 425–33.
  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “British Israelism,.” The Sociological Review 16 (March 1968): 41–57.
  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “The relation between ideology and organization in religious groups,.” Review of Religious Research 10 (1968): 51–59.
  - John Wilson, David Emmanuel. “British Israelism: a revitalization movement in contemporary culture,.” Archives De Sociologie Des Religions 13 (1968): 73–80.
  - Wilson, J., and J. Son. “Education, Perceived Control, and Volunteering.” Sociological Forum, n.d.
- Book Sections
  - Maraviglia, Lorenzo, Loredana Sciolla, and John Wilson. “Volunteering and Trust: New Insights on a Classical Topic.” In Accounting for the Varieties of Volunteering New Global Statistical Standards Tested, edited by Riccardo Guidi, Ksenija Fonovic, and Tania Cappadozzi, 267–87. Chaim, Switzerland: Springer, 2021.
  - Wilson, J., J. Son, D. Smith, and J. Grotz. “Longer-Term Volunteering Impacts on Volunteers and Association Members/Participants.” In The Palgrave Handbook of Volunteering, Civic Participation, and Nonprofit Associations, edited by D. Smith, R. Stebbins, and J. Grotz, 2:1284–1311. Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.
- Conference Papers
  - Leibowitz, B., R. Palmer, J. Poulton, Y. Frans, S. Li, J. Wilson, M. Bucher, et al. “A 4.3 GB/s mobile memory interface with power-efficient bandwidth scaling.” In Ieee Journal of Solid State Circuits, 45:889–98, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSSC.2010.2040230.
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Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Service to the Profession
- Associate Editor : Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 2009 2009

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Previous Appointments & Affiliations

Global Scholarship

Expertise

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Conference Papers

Service to the Profession