Religion As A Conservative Force- Functionalism

Question 1

What is meant by a conservative force?

Answer 1

Something that maintains social stability with a structuralist view
Believe that religion is the key institution to maintain social order and to reinforce tradition, culture and to maintain the status quo
-No encouragement of social change

Question 2

Functionalist say that society has one most basic need, what is this?

Answer 2

Social order

Question 3

According to functionalists social order is needed in society, why?

Answer 3

If we have social order it means we have social solidarity so all members can co-operate
Without this we would act in selfish ways and desires causing society to disitegrate

Question 4

How can social order be achieved?

Answer 4

Via the value consensus

Question 5

How does religion preform conservative functions?

Answer 5

By socialisation
Integration
Preventing anomie

Question 6

How does religion preform conservative functions- Socialisation?

Answer 6

Passing on the traditional ideology

Question 7

How does religion preform conservative functions- integration?

Answer 7

Being a part of something bigger than ourselves so feeling like a collective

Question 8

How does religion preform conservative functions- Preventing anomie?

Answer 8

Religion prevents this as even when their is chaos where there’s possibility of normlesness, religion is always there to guide us so we feel less scared

Question 9

Functionalist- sociologists?

Answer 9

Durkheim
Parsons
Malinowski

Question 10

Summary of Durkeims study?

Answer 10

Looked at the society of Arunita
These where bands of people that spent everyday together that live to survive so all have a collective consciousness that they should all have social solidarity
Aswell as bands we should also have clans where we believe we are descendants of certain ancestors
-They worship the sacred toten poll
-Believe the function is integration and to gain social solidarity’s and for a functioning society

Question 11

Critics of Durkheim?

Answer 11

Secularisation
Communist anti religion societys

Question 12

According to Durkheim what does religion promote and reinforce?

Answer 12

Promotes- emotional security
Reinforces- group identity and communalism

Question 13

According to Durkheim- what is collective effervescence?

Answer 13

Participating in a spiritual ritual in which people become more enthused/motivated and commited to religion by watching others enacting religious rituals

Question 14

According to Durkheim- what does religion prevent?

Answer 14

Anomie

Question 15

Durkheim- what does the totem do?

Answer 15

Provides emotional stability in times of threat

Question 16

What is social solidarity and its application to religion?

Answer 16

Loyalty with others in society
A collective way people make bonds causing integration

Question 17

What is collective consciousness and its application to religion?

Answer 17

Agreement over the values of society agreeing what’s right and wrong
-People follow rules in religion so therefore all agree on dos and donts

Question 18

What is the conservative force and how does it apply to religion?

Answer 18

Maintaining the norms and values of society to maintain stability
-Reinforcing moral principles so making collective agreements

Question 19

How does Hajj promote collective consciousness?

Answer 19

Muslim pilgrims age (Mecca and Saudi Arabia)
People making way to Hajj meeting people that agree on norms and values so feel integrated and as a collective

Question 20

What does Malinowski say (case study)

Answer 20

Studied Trobland islanders
People pray before going out into the open sea but wouldn’t pray when in saftey of lagoons
Did this prayer ritual to protect themselves from evil therefore bringing people together

Question 21

What does Malinowski say is the main reason for existence in religious belief and why?

Answer 21

Death as it reinforces feelings of solidarity amongst survivors giving people the comfort of bereavement through denial of death

Question 22

Malinowski- what functions does religion preform in times of crisis?

Answer 22

Psychological
Helping to cope with emotional stress like danger
Events like birth puberty, marriage and death disrupt changes sp religion helps minimise this

Question 23

Malinowski- what does he believe to be important?

Answer 23

Funeral rituals

Question 24

Summary of parsons (case study)

Answer 24

Agreed with Durkheim saying that religion provides Norms and values to give us social solidarity
By combining concepts like sacred and profane the norms and values to may thighs like American politics can reinforce the meaning of religion e.g. god bless America before every football game
-also believes religion is comforting in times of stress, it provides comfort in the afterlife and can be important in times of stress like in the war, in the blitz people would use local churches and the society bloc countries used churches for courses of action
-It provides social solidarity and in times of uncertainty religion is high and provides stability

Question 25

Parsons- What can religion do?

Answer 25

-Create and legitimise central values via teaching of the sacred moral codes (the sanctity if marriage, self discipline)
-Secondary socialises
-Reinforces value consensus and creates social order
-Primary source of meanings and can help people deal with life crises

Question 26

Robert Bellah- What is a civil religion?

Answer 26

A phrase to describe how nationalism has become a belief system like religion arguing that civil religion preforms the same functions as religion by uniting people through shared belief experiences and rituals

Question 27

Bellah- example of American civil religion?

Answer 27

Davy Crocett who fought for inderpendance
Eisenhower commander in chief in ww2
Washington
Kennedy
The flag
Money
4th July
National anthem

Question 28

Beckford- can religion be applied to different society’s?

Answer 28

Occasions in the Uk where we are drawn together by rituals or events (e.g. the queen and Diana’s funeral)
People attend church during times of crisis and need stability
-It’s doubtful these occasions can compensate for the Uk deep social divisions and high rate of religious diversity and indifference, if the Uk has civil religions its at best occasional and worst weak

Question 29

Stark and Bainbridge?

Answer 29

Religion is a supernatural compensation
It makes up for things like loss in life, loneliness and disjunct in society

Question 30

Swanson?

Answer 30

Believes religion maintained social order in society by supporting the dominant system
It matches order of society, domaine leadership and heigherarchy
Believes that religion fits to all society and it compensates
For example, Modern society and monotheism (one god religion)
And Totems clans where they fight for survival

Question 31

Criticism 1 of functionalisms belief on religion?

Answer 31

It gives a rose tinted view ignoring the negative aspects of religion (restriction of women) e.g. in the media etc

Question 32

Criticism 2 of functionalisms belief on religion?

Answer 32

Can religion be dysfunctional and can it be a source of division of conflict
E.g. wars in Palestine and Israel also Ireland Protestant v Catholic

Question 33

Criticism 3 of functionalisms belief on religion?

Answer 33

Idea that civil religion can overcome problem by arguing society has an overarching belief system showed by all
What does this actually have to do with religion its just a belief system

Question 34

Criticism 4 of functionalisms belief on religion?

Answer 34

‘Emergence of religion pluralism and diversity in society is something that Durkheim has difficulty with’ Hamilton
This means it ignores the rise of homosexuality and new identities that go against religious belifs

Question 35

Criticism 5 of functionalisms belief on religion?

Answer 35

A huge increase in secularisation

Question 36

Criticism 6 of functionalisms belief on religion?

Answer 36

Parson and Malanowskis study’s may not be relevant in today’s society, this is because they looked at old religions and times that aren’t around any more so how can this be applicable to society?