Religion - Conservative Force or Force of Change Flashcards
What does religion as a conservative force mean
Religion prevents social change and maintains the status quo
Functionalism - conservative force
Believe that religion is a force that will stop society from changing
Durkheim - worship sacred items, social solidarity, feel they belong, society wont change as everyone has same norms
Malinowski - religion neutralises threats to social solidarity - religion prevents society from changing because social solidarity is strengthened and they wont want to change it
Parsons - religion gives everyone in society the same norms and values so less likely to want to change society
Criticism of Functionalism and conservative force
Religion is often a source of conflict so is not always a source of social solidarity
Marxism - conservative force
Agree with functionalism that religion prevents social change. Religion compensates proletariat for their exploitation and justifies social order so are less likely to rise up and revolutionise
Criticism of marxism conservative force
In communist societies religion still exists so its key function may not be to hide in equality
Feminism - conservative force
Religion compensates women for their oppressed status in patriarchal society and justifies it. Men dominate women, restricted societies likelihood to challenge it as they have no control over it
Religion as a force of social change - social action theory (Weber)
Weber studies Calvinism - they believe in hard work, discipline and saving money to show they were chosen by God. This way of thinking led to the growth of capitalism. Therefore calvinism as a religion had provided in part a social change for western capitalism
Evaluation of Weber
STRENGTH
- evidence in civil rights movement
- tiger economies
WEAKNESSES
- capitalism came first
Religion Change and Conflict - Fundamentalism
Religious fundamentalism is often cited as an example of where religion is a source of conflict. They want to return religion back to its basics. Some say conservative, some say force of change
Bruce - key features of fundamentalist groups
interpret religious texts literally
reject religious pluralism
personal experience of gods presence
oppose secularisation
promote conservative beliefs
emerge in response to inequality
make use of technology
Religion Change and Conflict - Islamic fundamentalism
Vary in their beliefs however some generalisations can be made. Believe they are the chosen few who need to restore the true religion in an immoral society. They have a duty to alter society based on a literal reading of the Qur’an
Religion Change and Conflict - Christian Fundamentalism
A strict and traditional form of christianity. Believes the bible is the literal word of God. Often agaisnt things like abortion, LGBTQ, evolution. Often found in the USA.
Globalisation and the growth of religious fundamentalism
Singleton - deterritorialisation - religioins crossing trans-national boundaries
Lyon - argues globalisation leads to pick and mix culture and people are confused by too much choice and feel loss of identity so they go back to strict traditional fundamentalism
Globalisation, Fundamentalism and Conflict - Huntington
Huntington suggests that increasingly fundamentalism has been linked to a clash between different civilisations. Nationhood has become less of an important source of identity compared to religion and ethnic identity. Us and them mentality
McGuire factors that affect whether religion has potential to cha change society
- nature and extent of religious beliefs
- significance of religion in that culture
- extent of social involvement of religion
- degree of central authority in religious organisations
