LDS people is still restricted to members in the United States. The RID has made many important studies of LDS members outside the United States, most notably in the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Japan (see Heaton in this volume). However, most American sociologists do not have access to these international LDS members. As the LDS Church expands throughout the world, much more research concerning LDS people in other nations is needed.

Rodney Stark (1984 and this volume) made an important contribution to LDS studies in a special issue of the Review of Religious Research.Stark, who is not LDS, identified the LDS Church as the first new world religion in thirteen hundred years (since Islam) and predicted major growth of the Church in the next hundred years. He received criticismconcerning LDS people so that the Church and its members will be more widely understood and respected.

References

Bradford, Reed. 1971. A Catalogue of Theses and Dissertations Concerning The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormonism and Utah.Provo, UT: College of Religious Instruction, Brigham Young University.