Beliefs In Society - Functionalist Perspective On Religion Flashcards
What do Functionalist’s see religion as?
A conservative force
What do they believe religion promotes?
Social harmony, integration & solidarity
How is social harmony, integration & solidarity reinforced?
Through a value consensus
What are the basic needs that must be met if society is to survive?
Functional prerequisites
How is the role of religion analysed according to functionalists?
Functional prerequisites
Religion is seen as?
Part of the culture
SOCIOLOGIST: What is cultural defence according to Bruce?
Where culture acts as a focal point for the defence of community identity (seen as under threat from external force)
SOCIOLOGIST: What is cultural transition according to Bruce?
Where groups (e.g. minority) move to a diff country/culture with religion providing source of identity/support during the transition
SOCIOLOGIST: What did Durkheim see religion as?
important element in social integration and stability
Who argues all societies divide world into sacred & profane?
Durkheim
SOCIOLOGIST: What is the sacred, according to Durkheim?
Special & forbidden that are spiritual, religious or holy and can be extraordinary or fearful etc
SOCIOLOGIST: What is the profane, according to Durkheim?
the ordinary, every-day non-sacred, non-special & non-holy
SOCIOLOGIST: What does Durkheim suggest about the sacred?
Doesn’t necessarily have do be about supernatural phenomena but can be about anything people regard as sacred
What is a totem?
A sacred object representing and having symbolic significance and importance for a group
SOCIOLOGIST: What did Durkheim argue about totems?
created by society so it is sacred (symbol of society)
AO2: How do individuals in minority ethnic communities use religion to maintain social order?
Often a means to maintain own cultural identity and plays key role in integrating community
SOCIOLOGIST: How does religion create a collective conscience, according to Durkheim?
helps people develop moral ties
develops sense of shared identity, commitment and belonging
AO2: What is the lives of celebrities an example of?
civil religions
What are civil religions?
sacred qualities are attached to aspects of society itself with non religious rituals and ceremonies performing similar functions to religion (doesn’t have link to supernatural)
Who said the supernatural dimensions of religions would eventually disappear and be replaced by cultural religions?
Durkheim?
SOCIOLOGIST: How is Malinowski’s view on religion similar to Durkheim?
it reinforces social norms & values -> promotes social solidarity
SOCIOLOGIST: How does Malinowski’s view on religion differ to Durkheim?
provides explanations for events that are hard to explain
fulfils need for emotional security & relieves situations of emotional stress that threaten social solidarity
AO2: What events might produce emotional stress & threaten social solidarity & why?
death/divorce -> make people bitter/uncertain when they encounter events they cannot understand
AO2: How can funeral services provide comfort for individuals?
Acts as a source of comfort for grieving (through beliefs of life after death/support from friends/relatives)
SOCIOLOGIST: What is Parson’s view of religion?
Provides & underpins the core values of the culture & social norms which can become deeply engrained through socialisation that it affects believers and non believers
AO2: How can beliefs that are deeply engrained through socialisation affect the behaviour of believers & non-believers?
If social rules about killing are broken they can produce a guilty conscience
SOCIOLOGIST: How are Parson’s views on religion similar to Malinowski’s?
gives meanings & explanations to inexplicable & uncontrollable life events
SOCIOLOGIST: Who proposed the ‘mechanism of adjustment’ and what is it?
Parsons -> providing a means of emotional adjustment in the face of various crises which can provide a means of returning to a sense of normality
What are the overall functionalist beliefs about religion?
reinforces social solidarity
builds collective conscience & value consensus
gives meaning to suffering/disasters & provides meaning of life
source of socialisation
builds moral community
EVALUATION: How does the functionalist perspective of religion downplay social change?
suggests religion promotes social harmony & protects the status quo but downplays role that religion can play in social change
EVALUATION: How is declining religiosity and growing secularisation a criticism of the functionalist perspective?
religious thinking, practices & institutions are becoming less important in people’s lives -> shown in dramatic decline in attendance of church services in UK
EVALUATION: How can religion be seen as a disruptive and socially divisive influence and how is this a criticism of the functionalist perspective of religion?
different religions, beliefs & values can tear people & communities apart (poses threats to social order & stability) -> evident through the wars & conflicts in history
What are conflicts in the same & between different religions an example of?
examples of religion causing conflict & instability
AO2: What are some examples of conflicts within the same religion?
Protestants vs Catholics
Sunni vs Shia muslims
AO2: What are some examples of conflicts between different religions, suggested by Huntington?
religious identity are important aspects of different civilisations (can cause conflict & ‘clash of civilisations’)
example: clash between Christian west & Islamic fundamentalism (often linked to terrorism e.g. 9/11)
