Religion as a conservative force- Functionalism Flashcards
What is meant by conservative force?
Religion maintains social stability
Structuralist view- R is a key institution to maintain social order
- reinforces tradition, culture, maintains status quo
What is society’s basic need according to Functionalists?
Social order
Why social order?
It is needed for social solidarity so members of society can co-operate
- without this, individuals would pursue their own selfish desires and society would disintegrate or be dysfunctional
How is social order achieved?
Possible through the existence of value consensus
e.g. shared norms and values by which society’s members live by
Why is religion a conservative force according to Functionalists?
- afterlife
- community
- respect the elderly
- morals
- manners/politeness
How does religion perform soicalisation?
Core morals, values, traditional ideas
X different religions=conflicting norms and values
How does religion perform integration?
Part of a wider community, something bigger than yourself
X declining influence, secularisation
How does religion prevent anomie?
Belief will help you stay grounded and cope, belief in wider society
- normlessness, chaos, war, unemployment, natural disasters
Durkheim
Elementary forms of religious life
Integrate social systems
- profane, cross, totem given sacred value
- promotes emotional security to collective group, reinforced group identity and communalism
- The totem provides emotional stability in times off threat
What did Durkheim mean by ‘collective effervescence’?
The clan participating in spiritual rituals together, they become enthused/motivated and committed to their religion by watching others enacting religious rituals
What is social solidarity and how does religion do this?
Loyalty/a bond with others in your society
- performing spiritual rituals and have a symbol to worship
What is collective conscience and how does religion do this?
Agreement over the values of society, agreed awareness of what is right
- share beliefs to create a strong community
What is a conservative force and how does religion do this?
Maintaining the norms and values of society to maintain stability
- prevents anomie by providing emotional stability in times of threat
How does Hajj promote the collective conscience?
Muslim pilgrimage- Mecca, Saudi Arabia
- see people with the same identity
- modern day example
- other people who share the same beliefs
- journey=social solidarity
MALINOWSKI
Argues that death is the main reason for the existence of religious belief
- reinforces solidarity amongst survivors, notion of immortality gives comfort to bereaved through the denial of death
- religion helps to minimise disruption of social changes in groups
- birth, puberty, marriage, especially death
Importance of funeral rituals
PARSONS
Agreed with Malinowski also suggested
- creates and legitimises central values through the teachings of sacred texts, scared moral codes
Agent of secondary socialisation
- reinforces the value consensus and creates social order
Primary source of meaning
- provides answers to Qs that may threaten commitment to societies shared values, helps to deal with life crisis
Provides a psychological function
What concept does BELLAH discuss?
Civil Religion
What is a civil religion?
Phrase to describe how nationalism has become a belief system like religion
- argued that it performs the same functions as religion by uniting people through shared beliefs, experiences and rituals
What are some examples of American civil religion?
- Lincoln as a Saint
- Mount Rushmore as a shrine
- independence day as a ceremony
- flag of America is a symbol
These provide unity and creates an identity for American people
What important questions did Beckford propose?
Is civil religion applicable to different societies?
Is civil religion applicable to different societies?
BECKFORD
Occasion when the UK is drawn together by rituals and events
- people attend church in times of crisis and need of stability
- at best occasions at worst weak
- less binding influence
What do Stark and Bainbridge mean by religion as a supernatural compensator?
- makes up for doubts, uncertainties, struggles
- compensates for the unknown, afterlife, death, losing people
Marx says this is a negative thing
What does Swanston say about how religion helps to maintain the social order of society?
Does this by supporting the dominant system
e.g. Totems-clans
Modern society-Monotheism, one god
- get used to leadership
Criticisms of functionalism
X rose tinted view, emphasise positive functions, neglect negative aspects(source of oppression)
X Marx said it masks exploitation
X dysfunctional, source of division and conflict
X emergence of religious pluralism and diversity, Durkheim’s theory, difficulty dealing with (Hamilton)
X rise in secularisation
X are Malinowski and Durkheim etc relevant, cannot be generalised
