Religion in a global context Flashcards
What are the 5 characteristics of fundamentalism identified by sociologists? (Add sociologist from big textbook)
Detail them.
-An authoritative sacred text, An ‘us and them’ mentality, Aggressive reaction to the threat, Use of modern technology, patriarchy, conspiracy theories.
-An authoritative sacred text; for Christian fundamentalists, every word of the Bible is literally true and eternally valid, with the answers to all life’s important questions. They see biblical prophecies being fulfilled in today’s world. Fundamentalists are intolerant of all other views and refuse to engage in rational argument.
-An ‘us and them’ mentality(Davie); fundmentalists separate themselves from the rest of the world and refuse to compromise with it. They seek to establish islands of certainty against social and cultural chaos.
-Aggressive reaction to threat; to their beliefs and values.
-Use of modern technology; to achieve their aims, e.g. the internet, televangelism and modern weaponry.
-Patriarchy; (Hawley) Fundamentalists seek to control women’s sexuality, reproductive powers, and social/economic roles.
-Conspiracy theories; Fundamentalists often believe that powerful, hidden, evil forces are in control of human destiny.
Why is fundamentalism different to traditional religion?
Who argues that fundamentalists themselves are a product of modernity?
Where does the threat to traditional values come from?
Who coined the concept of Cosmopolitanism?
What does he mean by this?
What views does cosmopolitanism have on lifestyle?
-Fundamentalism is different to traditional religion because it arises only where those who hold traditional values/beliefs feel threatened.
-Davie.
-The threat may come from outside, e.g. globalisation, or from within e.g. liberal attitudes to gender.
-Giddens
-Giddens sees fundamentalism as a reaction to modernity, which undermines traditional norms, e.g. about gender and sexuality. He contrasts this is with cosmpolitanism-a way of thinking that embraces modernity, is tolernat, open and constantly reflects on/modifies beliefs.
-Cosmopolitanism sees lifestyly as a personal choice, not something dictated by an external religious authority. It emphasies the pursuit of personal meaning and self-improvement rather than submission to auhtority.
What two identity responses does Castell identify to postmodernity?
Detail these.
-Resistance identity and project identity.
-Resistance identity; A defensive reaction of those who feel threatened and retreat into fundamentalist communities.
-Project identity; The response of those who are forward-looking and engage with social movements such as feminism and environmentalism.
Who criticises both the Post modern and late modern arguments of fundamentalism? (Giddens, Castells, Davie)
What does he argue about Gidden’s cosmopolitanism?
Narrowed approach?
What does Gidden’s ignore about the diversity of fundamentalist views?
Ignored in Gidden’s definition of Fundamentalism as a defensive reaction to modernity, what similar characteristic does it have to cosmpolitanism?
-Beckford.
-He argues that late modernists distinguish too sharply between cosmopolitanism and fundamentalism, ignoring ‘hybrid’ movements.
-He argues they are ‘fixtated on fundamentalism’ ignoring other important developments- including how globalisation is also affecting non-fundamentalist religions such as Catholicism.
-Giddens lumps all types of fundamentalism together, ignoring important differences between them.
-Ignored in Gidden’s description of Fundamentalism as a defensive reaction to modernity it ignores the fact that reinventing tradition is also a modern, ‘reflexive’ activity.
What does Bruce view as the main cause of fundamentalism?
What does he argue fundamentalist beliefs confined to?
What religions are unlikely to produce fundamentalism in his view?
Why does he argue this?
-Bruce sees the main cause fundamentalism as the perception by religious traditionalists that globalisation threatens their beliefs and lifestyle. This leads them to develop rigid rules about belief and behaviour.
-However, Bruce regards fundamentalism as being confined to monotheistic religions(Judaism, Islam, Christianity).
-Polytheistic religions (e.g. Hinduism) that believe in many Gods are unlikely to produce fundamentalism.
-Bruce argues this is as monotheistic religions are based on a notion that God’s will is revealed through a single, authoritative sacred text. Polytheists lack a single all powerful diety and a single authoritative text, leaving much room for scope for differing interpretations.
According to Bruce although different Fundamentalist beliefs share the same charcteristics, such as belief in the literal truth of sacred text what do they have which is different?
Which two does he distinguish between?
Detail them.
-According to Bruce different Fundamentalist movements have different origins.
-Bruce illustrates this distinction with the examples of Christian and Islamic Fundamentalism Particularly (In the west/ In the Third World).
-In the West; Fundamentalism is usually a reaction to changes within society, e.g. trends towards diversity and choice. So the New Christian Right in America has developed in opposition to family diversity, sexual ‘permissiveness’, gender equality and secular education.
-In the Third World; fundamentalism is usually a reaction to changes being thrust on a society from outside, e.g. ‘Western’ values imposed by foreign capitalism. Here, fundamentalism involves resistance to the state’s attempts to reduce the social influence of religion.
Who distinguished between two phases of modernity?
Which gave rise to secular fundamentalism?
Detail the two.
(Enlightenment)
(Meta-narratives)
(France)
-Davie
-The second phase gave rise to secular fundamentalism.
-The First phase ran from the 18th century Enlightenment to the 1960s.
The ‘Enlightenment project’ held an optimistic belief in the certainty of progress based on science and human reason. This helped to secularise all areas of social life, undermining religious certainties. Religious fundamentalism was one reaction to this secularisation process.
-The Second Phase is giving rise to secular fundamentalism.
Since the 1970s, there has been a growing mood of pessimism, uncertainty and insecurity caused by changes i.e. globalisation.
-At the same time postmodernism emerged, arguing that secular Enlightenment ideologies such as marxism were meta-narratives whose beliefs were unfounded.
-As a result secular ideologies have come under attack and some people have been attracted to anti-religious fundamentalism. E.g. France made it illegal to wear the hijab in public.
How does Ansell view the trends characterised as secular fundamentalism by Davie?
How can both religious and secular movements become fundamentalist according to Davie?
-Ansell sees such trends as a form of cultural racism that uses the seemingly ‘liberal’ language of equality and integration. But in reality, it is about legitimating the exclusion of religious or cultural minorities.
-Davie argues that both religious and secular movements can become fundamentalist due to the greater uncertainties of the postmodern world, where reasserting truth and certainty is increasingly attractive.
How does Ansell view the trends characterised as secular fundamentalism by Davie?
How can both religious and secular movements become fundamentalist according to Davie?
-Ansell sees such trends as a form of cultural racism that uses the seemingly ‘liberal’ language of equality and integration. But in reality, it is about legitimating the exclusion of religious or cultural minorities.
-Davie argues that both religious and secular movements can become fundamentalist due to the greater uncertainties of the postmodern world, where reasserting truth and certainty is increasingly attractive.
How does Ansell view the trends characterised as secular fundamentalism by Davie?
How can both religious and secular movements become fundamentalist according to Davie?
-Ansell sees such trends as a form of cultural racism that uses the seemingly ‘liberal’ language of equality and integration. But in reality, it is about legitimating the exclusion of religious or cultural minorities.
-Davie argues that both religious and secular movements can become fundamentalist due to the greater uncertainties of the postmodern world, where reasserting truth and certainty is increasingly attractive.
What American neo-conservative claims since the collapse of communism, global conflicts are symptoms of a wider ‘clash of civilisations’?
What 7 civilisations does he identify?
What does each civilisation contain?
What impact did the fall of communism have for members of these civilisation? (Conflicts re-emerge?)
-What type of relationships are formed by religious difference?
-Hunnington.
-He identifies seven civilisations as; Western, Latin American, Confucian(China), Japanese, Islamic, Hindu and Slavic-Orthodox.
-Each civilisation has a common cultural background and is closely identified with the world’s greatest religions.
-Since the fall of communism, religious differences have become a major source of identity Globalisation also makes the nation-states less important as a source of identity and makes contact between civilisations easier, increasing likelihood of conflicts re-emerging.
-Religious differences are creating a new form or set of hostile ‘us and them’ relationships, with increased competition between civilisations for economic and military power.
Why is Hunnington’s ‘clash of civilisations’ criticised?
(Jackson)(Casanova)
(Horrie and Chippinadle; are all muslims interested in holy wars?)
(Karen Armstrong)
-Jackson sees Hunnington’s work as an example of orientalism- a western ideology that stereotypes Eastern nations and people as untrustworthy, inferior or fanatical ‘others’ and serves to justify exploitation and human rights and abuses by the West.
-Casanova argues that Hunnington ignores the important religious divisions within the ‘civilisation’ he identifies e.g. between Sunni and Shi’a Islam.
-Horrie and Chippandle see ‘the clash of civilisations’ as a grossly misleading neo-conservative ideology that portrays the whole of Islam as an enemy. In reality, only a tiny minorityof the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims arae remotely interested in a holy war.
-Karon Armstrong argues that hostility towards the West does not stem from fundamentalist Islam, but is a reaction to Western foreign policy in the Middle East. The west has propped up oppressive regimes and continues to support Israel despite its aggressive treatment of Palestinians.
After using data from the World Values Survey what did Ingleheart and Norris conclude is the real issue that divides the West from the Muslim world?
Where is support high for democracy?
Instead of a clash of civilisations Ingleheart and Norris concluded that the issue is not a matter of democracy but gender and sexuality.
-Support for democracy is high in both the West and Muslim world, but there are great differences in attitudes to divorce, abortion, gender equality and gay rights.
