BINS Mini topic 4- globalisation and religion Flashcards
briefly explain fundamentalism & its characteristics
fundamentalism- religion based on the unquestioning belief in the literal truth of a sacred text, they claim the monopoly of the truth, look to turn to a traditional way of life.
characterised by
1. an authoritative sacred text- they believe what’s written in the holy book to be literally true
2. them and us mentality- they separate themselves from the rest of soc & refuse to compromise
3. aggressive reaction- feel their beliefs are under threat
4- use of modern technology- they oppose modern culture but use modern technology to e.g spread their message
5- patriarchy- favour a world in which women are subordinate
6- prophecy & 7- conspiracy theories
religion & glob - why is it happening & what are the consequences
- peoples sense of identity is being undermined by western values which spread through glob (e.g iran’s shah & ayatollah). they respond to this insecurity by turning to religon (for security)
when faced with glob;
defensive reaction- can lead to international conflict
Proactive reaction- enhance a country’s economic development
sociologists
giddens, bauman & castells, bruce, davie, bruce, huntington, nanda, redding, berger and lehmann.
defensive reaction- fundamentalism- GIDDENS
giddens- defines fd as traditionaloists who seek to return to basics of their religon, believe in the ltieral teaching of their scriptures and claim monopoly of the truth.
giddens- fundamentalism is a response to glob
Glob undermines trad social norms by providing choice but also facing them with uncertainty.
In response to this uncertainty ppl are attracted to fundamentalism as it offers certainty
- they detest modernity but use techbology to spread their msg- mobile phones, tv etc
giddens- exemplified with islamic fundamentalism e.g Bali bombings & iranian revolution.
Cosmopolitanism- embraces modernity, tolerant, uses rational explanations & arguments.
C+- giddens ignores
defensive reaction-glob- BRUCE
Bruce- fd is caused by perception that glob threatens traditionalist beliefs.
unlike Giddens, he argued ONLY monotheistic religions develop fd branches bc the have a single God & a single sacred text.
bruce- distinguishes between fundamentalism in west & LEDC’s
1- western fundamentalism- a reaction to changes in the society e.g increasing diversity, choice and uncertainty of modernity e.g new christian right- opposed to fd, homosexual, abortion, gender equality, secular edu…
2- LEDC fd- reaction to changes being thrust upon soc from otuside e.g iranian revolution of 1979- triggered by moderniation & glob- western values imposed on local customs.
defensive - glob- Baumann & Castells
Baumann- fd, as a response to living in postmodernity which brings freedom of choice but also heightened risk and uncertainty - when faced some embrace others, turn to fd which offers certainty
- Exemplified with Christian fd in USA.
Castells- 2 possible reactions to pd
1- resistant identity- defensive reaction to glob, fundamentalism e.g christian fd in the USA
2- project identity- embrace it & turn to social movements e.g BLM, MeToo, Just stop oil.
defensive- glob- davie
Davie- fd emerged in the early stages of modernity as a result of enlightenment ( secular, scientific ways to look at world). Those who felt their identity was being undermined turned to religous fd.
more recently- secular fundamentalism- emerged as a result of changes in modern soc. Loss of faith in liberalism and rationalism- (ppl realise science wont solve all our problems, e.g creates global warming, nuclear weapons). people tuened to non religious fundamentalism e,g Nationalism. e.g EDL.
defensive reaction- glob- cultural defence- bruce
Bruce- when a society is threatened by an external power religion acts a cultural defence- unites the comunity against the external threat by giving the community a sense of identity.
2 examples;
1- Poland- was under communist rule from 1949-1989- imposed from outside ussr. catholic church was suppressed but it continued to give poles a sense of identity, supproted solidartity trade union which helped bring about the end of communism.
2- iran- went through process of westernisation supported by western oil companies in 1960s. these changes were imposed rapidly, often causing suffering to the poor. as a result islam became a focus for resistance to modernisation. 1979 revolution created the islamic republic in which clerics hold state power.
defensive reaction - clash of civilisations
Huntington- argues there are 7 civilisations- western, Latin American, Confucian (china), Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, and Slavic-orthodox. They are larger than a single nation state e.g slabic orthodox includes the entire eastern europe.
the nations part of the same civilisation share a common cultural background and history and are closely linked with one of the worlds major religions. this shared culture, history & religion causes cohesion, but can lead to conflict between civilisations.
Huntington refers to this conflict as clash of civilisations which is exemplified by events such as 9/11.
C+- orientalism work- a western ideology that stereotypes eastern people as untrustworthy, inferior and fanatical.
C+- ignores religious divisions within civilisations e.g Sunni and Shi’ia - Islam.
proactive reaction- economic development
Nanda argues that glob has created a prosperous, educated and professional mc in India. it is this social group the secularisation theory would say will abandon religion. However in India, many still believe in the supernatural. it has become fashionable to be religious there & has been a growth in religious tourism( visiting shrines) & a trend towards worshipping low status village gods.
Nanda- inc religiosity amongst mc is due to uncertainty about new found wealth which stems from the contradiction between wealth and trad hindu belief in renunciation (rejection) of mat goods & worldly desires.
this ambivalence is resolved by telegurus- who assure the mc that wealth is a manifestation of divinity. Modern hinduism leg the pos of mc & enables to adjust to gloablised consumer capitalism.
Nanda- hinduism encourages nationalism & indias economic success is being attributed to the superiority of hindu values- whereby worshipping god has become the same as worshipping the nation- hinduism= civil religion.
- widens the gap between hindus & non-hindu minorities- religion is increasingly influencing the state
proactive- econ development- redding
Redding- post confucian (trad chinese belief system) values of hard work, self discipline, edu self imp & fruaglity are very similar to the Calvinist prot work ethic.
as the entrepreeurs in countires such as south korea, singapore adopted post-confucian values they helped created rapid industrialisation of east asian tiger economies when they started trading with western MEDC’s
proactive- economic dvpt- berger & lehmann
pentecostalism imposes strict rules- attendance of service (several x a week), strict moral code- no smokog, drinking, pre-marital sex.
prosperity theology- emphasises self imp, churches offer business clsses, people encg to save, start businesses get out of poverty.
Berger- pentecostalism acts as a functional equivalent to prot work ethic leading to econ dvpt.
lehmann- pentecostalism appeals to local commu as it does not aim to replace local religious rituals and customs but incorporates them into its practices.
