Ethnicity

Question 1

2021 census data

Answer 1

Amongst the ethnic minority population in the UK there is a higher proportionate religiosity
- BRIERLY, in London half of all churchgoers are from black minority ethnic groups
- yet the proportion of Black ethnicities in London is less than 20%

Question 2

Which group are less likely to be religious?

Answer 2

Chinese

Question 3

Which groups are more likely to be religious?

Answer 3

Pakistani and Bangladeshhi

Question 4

Economic

Answer 4

Religion as a supernatural compensator
- more exposed to a cost of living crisis
- twice as likely to experience deep poverty

Question 5

Identity

Answer 5

DAVIE- ‘strength through difference’
- Asians (especially Muslims) ranked religion and family equally as ‘markers of identity’
- AC/BC ranked religion as the third most important factor in their lives
- originate from countries where religion is entrenched in their culture

Question 6

Family pressure

Answer 6

BIRD- maintaining cultural identity and tradition
- new immigrant bring their religious faith, maintain connections with their country of origin
- Religious socialisation, children under pressure from their parents
- South Asian communities

Question 7

Coping strategy

Answer 7

BRUCE- cultural defence and cultural transition
- cope with experiences of prejudice, discrimination etc
- ease common issues new immigrants face

Question 8

What does BRUCE believe?

Answer 8

A secularisation theorist
- there is a strong religious commitment amongst ethnic minority groups due to the social functions religion performs rather than deep religious belief

Question 9

What does Bruce mean by cultural defence?

Answer 9

Immigrant communities or other minorities use religion to defend themselves from the hostility of the majority population.
- to build a safe community away from racism

Question 10

What does Bruce mean by cultural transition?

Answer 10

The idea that minority ethnic groups could use religion and religious institutions to assist the process of immigration, reduce the shock of the transition

Question 11

How does recent immigration support cultural transition?

Answer 11

Areas which saw high levels of Polish immigration have seen an increase in the congregation in their Catholic churches

Question 12

What 3 main paths did Chryssides identify in 1st generation immigrants?

Answer 12

1- Apostasy
2- Accommodation
3- Renewed Vigor

Question 13

What is Apostasy?

Answer 13

Where a particular set of beliefs are abandoned in a hostile environment

Question 14

What is Accommodation?

Answer 14

Where religious practises are adapted to take account of the changed situation

Question 15

What is Renewed Vigor?

Answer 15

Where ethnic minorities reassert their religion more strongly as a response to either an actual or perceived hostility

Question 16

Who studied 2nd generation immigrants?

Answer 16

Modood
- conducted a social survey in the mid 1990s looking at 1st and 2nd generation immigrants from different cultures and religious beliefs

Question 17

What did Modood find?

Answer 17

Trends since then suggest findings are not outdated and if anything the differences are more apparent today
- supports cultural defence and transition
Found that for the 1st generation immigrants religion provided an essential source of identity and acted as a coping strategy

Question 18

How are Black Caribbean Christians an example of Apostasy?

Answer 18

Under half saw themselves as religious
- majority did not attend church or participate in religious activities

Question 19

How is Hindu an example of accommodation?

Answer 19

Wore more Western clothing but modesty in dress was observed never dressed promiscuously
- yes to food restrictions, no to alcohol restriction

Question 20

How is Muslim and example of Renewed Vigor?

Answer 20

Very strict observation of diet and alcohol
- felt parental pressure
‘practise out of fear rather than faith’
all said religion was important or very important - felt very much the same ass 1st generation Muslims

Question 21

What does JOHAL say?

Answer 21

Young Asians have adopted ‘code-switching’
- hyper ethnicity
- adopt both ‘Britishness’ and ‘Asianess’ at the appropriate situations

Question 22

What does BUTLER say?

Answer 22

Family ethnic identity is passed through generations e.g. Islam
- 30 semi-structured interviews
- W, more independent, aware of their rights, challenge restrictions religion has placed on them
- seek new roles
- give them more independence and choice but also strengthen and support their commitment to Islam

Question 23

Who is in support of :
YES religion is a form of cultural defence

Answer 23

Bruce- cultural defence
Davie- important source of identity ‘strength through difference’
Chryssides- Renewed vigor in the face of perceived or actual hostility
Modood- 1st gen immigrants faced greater hostility, more religious

Question 24

Who is in support of :
NOT a cultural defence or not just a cultural defence

Answer 24

Bruce- cultural transition, supported by Bird
Other factors- economic
Accommodation of apostasy?
2nd gen immigrants became less religious
- not Muslims but maybe NOT cultural defence but family pressure

Question 25

Conclusion?

Answer 25

Really important to see that religiosity is multi-factoral
- not ethnicity alone that determines it