Outline and briefly evaluate the importance of religion in creating and reinforcing identity Flashcards
point 1
One way religion is important in creating and reinforcing identity is that it can give individuals ways of defying social norms which allows them to express themselves in new ways such as going against gender stereotypes.
example 1
Watson demonstrated that the veil has the potential to give women more freedom. She interviewed three Muslim women who had alternative perspectives on the practice of veiling. Nadia, a second generation British Asian woman studying medicine at university chose to start wearing a veil at 16. She commented, ‘It is liberating to have the freedom of movement to be able to communicate without being on show’.
explain 1
This shows that religion is important in creating and reinforcing identities as Muslims use the veil, which is a tradition in their culture, to have an identity as a women that doesn’t make them an object for show. However women who are not Muslim may have an identity that is based around this as they do not have a religious practice to shape their identity otherwise.
counter 1
However some sociologists argue the importance of the peer groups in creating and reinforcing values. Hey shows how peers control each other using informal sanctions and found that they excluded and insulted peers they felt were not conforming to expectations. She found working class girls called each other ‘slags’ if they were seen as too promiscuous and so their sexual behaviour was controlled via this sanction.
point 2
Another way religion is important in creating and reinforcing identity is that it socializes individuals into ethnic identities through it’s practices being the central of these identities.
example 2
Modood notes that the centrality of religion in Asian communities and therefore in shaping their ethnic identity, can be illustrated in the fact that very few Asians marry across religious or caste lines, and that most of their children will be socialised into a religious value system.
explain 2
This shows that religion is important in creating and reinforcing identities as Muslim culture alters young Asians identities by making it a norm for them to marry other Muslims who are normally Asian. This means that religion can socialize individuals into ethnic identities that become culturally grouped as one.
counter 2
However some sociologists argue the importance of the education in creating and reinforcing values, Functionalists argue that the hidden curriculum teaches the value consensus, for example students learn the importance of hard work, and success through the exam system and learn the importance of conforming to rules when they get punished for being late or misbehaving.
point 3
Another way religion is important in creating and reinforcing identity is that it helps reinforce older peoples younger identity as it has a stable and traditional set of values.
example 3
Bruce believes religion is sometimes used as a cultural defence. Older people may use religion to hold onto traditions from their past in a world changing too quickly. The stability of the norms and values of traditional religions are used by older people as a defence from what they perceive as confusing and unrelenting changes in society around them.
explain 3
This shows that religion is important in creating and reinforcing identities as it reinforces the norm of conservatism within old age, reinforcing the identity of older people as resistant to change, by keeping the same values that it had when these older people were younger.
counter 3
However some sociologists argue the importance of the work in creating and reinforcing values, Skeggs carried out research with a group of women retraining to become health care workers. She found that as their training progressed the women were re-socialised into new behaviours. For example, although they wore skirts, high heels and make up outside of work they began to realise this was not ‘the norm’ inside of their new career and adapted their dress code to fit in.
Intro
Although religions deal with spiritual matters, they also have an influence on social attitudes and behaviour. The major world religions. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism all have had a deep impact on the societies in which they are dominant which has led to religion being very important in creating and reinforcing identities.
