Functionalism Flashcards
Who presented the idea of the scared and the profane?
Durkheim
What is the ‘sacred’?
Things with special spiritual significance
What is ‘profane’?
Things with no special or spiritual significance
What is ‘totemism’?
Arunta clan worship a totem pole which represents society. So really they are worshipping society
Durkheim identifies 3 things that religion does:
Reinforcing collective
Strengthening social solidarity
Supporting individuals’ adaptations
What does Malinowski say religion provides?
A psychological function
Malinowski’s two types of event where religion is involved:
Life crises
Times of anxiety and uncertainty
What does Parsons believe religion to be?
Primary source of meaning
It answers life’s ultimate questions
Who believes religion legitimates society’s central norms and values?
Parsons
Who looks at Civil Religion?
Bellah
Which country has a civil religion and how do they practise it?
America
The national anthem and the flag
3 evaluation points of functionalist theories on religion:
Too optimistic
Doesn’t explain religious origins
Outdated
