In this article, the author attempts to define religious conversion, beginning with the classical approaches and underlining their limitations, up until the most recent theoretical developments. In particular, he attempts to interpret conversion phenomena on the basis of concepts of religious demand and supply. Sociological thinking in this area has concentrated on demand, searching for a causal explanation of conversions. This approach has proved unsatisfactory, and “causal” theories have often been contradicted by empirical observation. The author therefore tries to construct an interpretative model taking into account “offer” and its specificity as a factor in conversion. From this perspective, he outlines some elements of what Islam has to offer, using evidence from a longitudinal research project, and assesses the role played by these benefits in achieving conversions.
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