Beliefs in Society

Question 1

Durkheim (Functionalism)

Answer 1

• Religion creates social solidarity, value consensus, studied Totemism
• Religion is a conservative force and helps maintain stability in society

Question 2

Parsons (Functionalism)

Answer 2

• Mechanism of adjustment

Question 3

Malinowski (Functionalism)

Answer 3

• Trobriand islanders, use religion life crises, times of uncertainty

Question 4

Bellah (Functionalism)

Answer 4

• Civil religion of Americanism replacing traditional religion

Question 5

Marx (Marxism)

Answer 5

• Opium of the people, instrument of oppression, cushion of the effects of oppression
• Religion is a conservative force, maintains capitalism

Question 6

Lenin (Marxism)

Answer 6

• Spiritual gin

Question 7

Gramsci (Neo-Marxism)

Answer 7

• Religion reinforces hegemony, but it can be used to create a new hegemony and educate the working class about their oppression

Question 8

Maduro (Neo-Marxism)

Answer 8

• Religion was used to liberate the oppressed people in Latin America-Liberation Theology

Question 9

Althusser (Neo-Marxism)

Answer 9

-Religion as an ISA can attempt to create change but will often be pushed back by RSAs e.g. Burmese monks

Question 10

Woodhead and Heelas (Feminism)

Answer 10

• Orthodox Judaism gives women clear roles which they find gives them status and purpose

Question 11

Aldridge (Feminism)

Answer 11

• Religion is patriarchal e.g. the veil, religious practices such as triple talaq

Question 12

Holm (Feminism)

Answer 12

• Women are seen as polluting in religion e.g. not allowed to pray during menstruation

Question 13

Woodhead (Feminism)

Answer 13

• Religion is beginning to respect women more e.g. they can be priests

Question 14

Hervieu-Leger (Post-Modernism)

Answer 14

• Spiritual shoppers - pick and choose religious beliefs which suit us

Question 15

Lyon (Post-Modernism)

Answer 15

• Religion has become disembedded from traditional churches and moved online/to commercial places

Question 16

Bauman (Post-Modernism)

Answer 16

• Postmodernity has led to a crisis of meaning and religion can offer a universe of meaning

Question 17

Weber (Social-Action)

Answer 17

• Religion gives meaning to every day actions e.g. Calvinism gave meaning to hard work etc.
• Calvinism led to social change in the form of the creation of capitalism
• Distinguished between Churches and Cults
• Disenchantment of the world and rationalisation have occurred

Question 18

Berger (Social-Action)

Answer 18

• Religion is a sacred canopy

Question 19

New Right (Social, conflict and stability)

Answer 19

• Religion can help maintain traditional values e.g. anti-abortion

Question 20

El Sadaawi (Social, conflict and stability)

Answer 20

• Religion is a tool used to maintain Patriarchy

Question 21

Nelson (Social, conflict and stability)

Answer 21

• Religion can spearhead the resistance

Question 22

Gramsci/Maduro (Social, conflict and stability)

Answer 22

• Religion can overthrow existing hegemony

Question 23

McGuire (Social, conflict and stability)

Answer 23

-Religion can create change under the right conditions

Question 24

Troeltsch (Religious organisations)

Answer 24

• Sects is another type of religion

Question 25

Neibuhr (Religious organisations)

Answer 25

• Denomination (between a church and sect)
• Sects are often short lives
• Denominations appeal to more marginalised groups

Question 26

Wallis (Religious organisations)

Answer 26

• The best way to distinguish between religious movements is by their world view - world rejecting, world accommodating or world affirming new religious movements

Bruce
- New age movement

Question 27

Bruce

Answer 27

• New age movements-new science, new spirituality/psychology, new ecology
• Cults appeal to middle class who are lacking in spiritual fulfilment
• Females are socialised to be caring and nurturing and therefore more interested in this aspect of religion
• Ethnic minorities use religion for cultural defence and cultural transition
• Church and state are more separate now
• Religious pluralism increases competition between religions and they undermine each other
• Religion is cultural defence for migrants to defend their identity

Question 28

Ashworth and Farthing (Religion and social groups (CAGE))

Answer 28

• Those in professional occupations (middle class) more likely to attend churches

Question 29

Voas and Crockett (Religion and social groups (CAGE))

Answer 29

-The ageing effect and generational effect

Question 30

Millar and Hoffman (Religion and social groups (CAGE))

Answer 30

• Women are the guardian of family life so more interested in religion

Question 31

Bruce and Trzebiatowska (Religion and social groups (CAGE)

Answer 31

• Men are more influenced by secularisation than women as they are more likely to be in the public sphere

Question 32

Wilson (Secularisation)

Answer 32

• 5 measures of secularisation - disengagement, participation, pluralism, rationalisation, internal secularisation

Question 33

Herberg (Secularisation)

Answer 33

• Religious practices like going to church are less about the spiritual experience and more about being ‘American’ and part of a community

Question 34

Davie (Secularisation)

Answer 34

• Belief without belonging
• Globalisation and modernisation have led to uncertainty and instability and so religion is growing as a response to this

Question 35

Kendal Project (Secularisation)

Answer 35

• Spiritual revolution thesis - traditional religion is declining, spirituality is growing

Question 36

Huntington (Globalisation)

Answer 36

• Conflict has increased due to more religions competing with each other and being in close contact with each other

Question 37

Castells (Globalisation)

Answer 37

• Religion is growing as a resistance identity, migrants use it to maintain a source of identity