Agencies of Socialisation - Religion

Question 1

what is socialisation through religion?

Answer 1

UK is a secular society where religion doesn’t have a huge impact on public life
- that makes religion a declining agency of socialisation
- but still important in particular communities
- often seen as a source of moral values for young people growing up
- religion provides norms for young people to follow
- norms about dress, diet, sexual behaviour

Question 2

examples of religious socialisation?

Answer 2

• teaching children bible stories with moral messages
• getting children to participate in festivals that unite people
• religion of ceremonies that mark ‘rites of passage eg. communion
• faith schools - religion heavily involved in child’s entire education

Question 3

EVAL of religion as an agency of socialisation - functionalist view

Answer 3

positive view - positive influence on young people
durkheim argues - that religion is really worshipping society itself

Question 4

EVAL of religion as an agency of socialisation - marxist view

Answer 4

marxist reject idea of functionalists: marx calls it ‘the opium of the people’ suggesting that religion has the effect of drugging people so that they don’t notice and can’t do anything about the way they’re getting exploited
- find that religion is passing on ruling class ideology

Question 5

EVAL of religion as an agency of socialisation - feminist view

Answer 5

feminists (hostile to idea of traditional religion) - see it as religion passing on patriarchal ideology and traditional gender roles
eg. god is represented as male and women often represented as weak and sinful
- religion as an agency of socialisation can come into conflict with other agencies
eg. religious parents complaining about sex education going on in primary schools