SKU: 52557171674

Religion in America: A Very Short Introduction

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Religion in America: A Very Short IntroductionIt's hard to think of a single aspect of American culture, past or present, in which religion has not played a major role. The roles religion plays, moreover, become more bewilderingly complex and diverse every day. For all those who want whether out of curiosity, necessity, or civic duty a vivid picture and fuller understanding of the current reality of religion in America, this Very Short Introduction is the go to book they need. Timothy Beal

It's hard to think of a single aspect of American culture, past or present, in which religion has not played a major role. The roles religion plays, moreover, become more bewilderingly complex and diverse every day. For all those who want--whether out of curiosity, necessity, or civic duty--a vivid picture and fuller understanding of the current reality of religion in America, this Very Short Introduction is the go-to book they need.

Timothy Beal describes many aspects of religion in contemporary America that are typically ignored in other books on the subject, including religion in popular culture and counter-cultural groups; the growing phenomenon of "hybrid" religious identities, both individual and collective; the expanding numbers of new religious movements, or NRMs, in America; and interesting examples of "outsider religion," such as Paradise Gardens in Georgia and the People Love People House of God in Ohio. He also offers an engaging overview of the history of religion in America, from Native American traditions to the present day. Beal sees three major forces shaping the present and future of religion in America: first, unprecedented religious diversity, which will continue to grow in the decades to come; second, the information revolution and the emergence of a new network society; and third, the rise of consumer culture. Taken together, these forces offer the potential to create a new American pluralism that would enrich society in unimaginable ways, but they also threaten the great ideal of e pluribus unum.

With visual aids that help readers navigate America's diverse religious landscape, this informative, thoughtful, and provocative book is a must-read in the emerging public conversation concerning religion in America.

About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.


Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 07/01/2008
ISBN: 9780195321074
Pages: 128
Weight: 0.25lbs
Size: 6.80h x 4.30w x 0.50d
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SKU: 52557171674

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s davis
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
great room divider
This room divider is very nice, good fabric, blocks light, not entirely bit alot for my needs. covers or blocks what i dont want others to see, the assembly was some difficulty but he end product is fantastic.. i recommend fully.. thank you for a great product
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Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2024
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Verified Purchase
Pamela S
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 4
Offers Complete Privacy
Color: Black, Size: 132in-Large Metal Base
We tried others that were nice but this particular room divider adds total privacy. We were looking for that. Easy to assemble. There is no gap if you position each petition close enough. The guality is very nice. Exactly what we were looking for.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2025
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Amazon Customer
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
Versatile Room Divider With Easy Assembly and Strong Coverage
Size: 3 Panel 12FT W
I picked up this Siebwin 3-panel folding room divider mainly for privacy and room separation, and overall it works very well. Assembly is very straightforward, and the divider can be set up, taken apart, and stored without much effort. The fabric quality feels good, and the frame construction is stronger and more stable than expected. The support tubes especially feel well built and help keep the divider standing securely. One feature I really liked is the flexibility of the design. The panels can be used together as a complete divider or separated depending on the setup and available space. That makes it much more versatile for different room layouts or temporary privacy needs. The coverage is also very good, and the size matches the manufacturer’s description accurately. The fabric blocks light and background visibility well enough to provide solid privacy without feeling overly heavy. The wider feet also help improve stability compared to thinner folding dividers. Another positive detail is that everything arrived complete with no missing parts or damaged pieces, which made assembly much easier and faster. Compared to cheaper privacy screens, this one feels more durable and easier to customize depending on the situation. In terms of value for the money, it feels like a very practical and worthwhile purchase considering the size, flexibility, and build quality. Overall, a versatile and well-built room divider with easy assembly, strong privacy coverage, stable construction, complete included parts, flexible panel configuration, and excellent everyday functionality.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026
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Fred
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Stable, flexible in deployment configuration, creates true privacy and looks great.
Size: 3 Panel 12FT W
This is the second room divider panel I have installed, and there are several features about this one that I like much better than my older one. The fact that there are no gaps and that the material is thicker means you get more privacy or more hiding power, if you wish. My older divider has vertical spaces between each of the panels and the panels are half as wide as the Siebwin panels, so there are many vertical spaces. The Siebwin divider really creates privacy. Another feature that I really appreciate is that the legs are wider and stand off from the floor. On my older one the legs are flat and they're rather awkward to adjust because they create more drag on the floor. The feet on the older one also loosen if you turn them counter clockwise, so adjustments of configuration that require the feet to be moved are more complex. The older divider also must be deployed in a zig-zag fashion because he feet are not as wide, but this new one can be deployed and stable in a straight, an "N" shape or an arc. They are both the same length, but because the older one must be use in a zig-zag deployment it doesn't reach to the length of the new one. The Siebwin divider definitely costs more at $103.48, but it sports several features and advantages over the other brand, so it does a better job and is worth the extra cost.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026
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Computer
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 4
Easy to assemble, does the job, material is shiny nylon and shows creases, minor defects, sloppy
Size: 3 Panel 12FT W, Size: 3 Panel 12FT W
The Siebwin room divider is a good idea, and for the price, it mostly delivers on the intended functionality. I ordered the 12 foot, 3-panel version mainly to hide an unfinished basement storage area that had become an eyesore. It works well for that purpose and gives the space a cleaner appearance without spending the kind of money that more decorative dividers or custom partitions cost. If you need something temporary, portable, or mainly functional, this is a viable option. There are a few limitations that became obvious during setup and use. The first thing I noticed was that the weld quality on some of the metal poles is fairly sloppy. Once the cover is installed, you do not really see it, but up close, it does not look especially refined or professional. The blackout material also is not a matte canvas style fabric as I expected. It has more of a shiny nylon appearance, and the creases are fairly visible. Being that it’s more of a nylon, I’d be hesitant to try steaming it to remove the creases. However, the creases do not matter if you are using it in a basement, dorm, or shared room, but for photography, video work, or a professional office setting, the appearance could be disappointing. The fabric is thick enough, though. It blocks visibility well enough, but strong light behind it still shows through to some extent, nothing deal-breaking. Also, my fabric appeared to be slightly defective. The hook and loop strip on one of the bottom sections was off-center and couldn't be totally attached because it was lined up with one of the legs. I originally hoped to use this as a video backdrop, but I will probably end up replacing the fabric with a proper green screen or canvas material while continuing to use the frame itself. For now, it does a good job of covering my basement junk. Assembly was actually easier than I expected and took roughly 15 to 20 minutes. The longer vertical poles are tethered together similarly to tent poles, which made setup straightforward and fairly intuitive. The shorter horizontal pieces slide and snap together to the top and bottom of the vertical assembly. After each section is assembled, the divider panels connect together with metal plates and two knurled screws (at the top and bottom), so no tools are really required. A few screws were difficult to start because paint had gotten into the threads, but once they caught, they tightened down normally. The feet install with similar knurled fasteners and help keep the divider reasonably stable. One thing to watch for during setup is the fabric orientation. There is one arrow indicator in the middle of the fabric to indicate up. However, if you need another indicator, the smaller hook and loop strip goes on the bottom while the longer strip goes on top. I realized mine was upside down right before finishing and had to redo it. I wasn't difficult to redo, despite the defect in mine. The overall design is practical and easy to move around. I do like that the panels can fold and bend into different shapes depending on the space. The widened feet help stability, although when trying to stretch the fabric tight, I noticed the poles sometimes wanted to overlap slightly at the joints. Tightening everything helped somewhat, but it still happened occasionally. The divider feels adequate for normal indoor use, though I would not expect premium durability or luxury-level fit and finish at this price point. The entire device can also be easily disabled and stored in a tote if you need it completely out of the way. It comes with assembly instructions, but even if you didn’t have them, it’s easy to build without them (save a mistake or two). In terms of value, I think the Siebwin divider mostly matches its price. Around $100 gets you a large freestanding partition with decent usability and easy assembly, but there are compromises in materials, appearance, and refinement. The defects are also off-putting, but hopefully you won't have them. Higher-end room dividers can easily cost two or three times more, so some of the tradeoffs are expected. I also noticed cheaper alternatives online, but based on the quality here, I suspect those would probably have even more issues. For practical home use, temporary privacy, hiding storage areas, or separating shared spaces, this is a good option as long as expectations stay realistic.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2026

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