Religion + Social Change

Question 1

Durkheim

Answer 1

• Conservative force - functions to maintain social stability + prevent society from disintegrating.

Question 2

Marx

Answer 2

• Conservative ideology - prevent social change by creating a false class consciousness, preventing a revolution.

Question 3

Weber

Answer 3

• Social change - Calvinism bought the emergence of modern capitalism in Northern Europe.

Question 4

De Beauvoir

Answer 4

• Conservative force - ideology that legitimises patriarchal power + maintains women’s subordination.

Question 5

Billings

Answer 5

• Religion can support + challenge classes.
• Coalminers improved their situation due to organic intellectuals (lay preachers).

Question 6

Bloch

Answer 6

• Dual character - religion can inhibit + inspire social change / social protest.

Question 7

Gramsci

Answer 7

• Dual character - challenges + supports the r/c: help to see through r/c hegemony, support w/c organisations.

Question 8

Parsons

Answer 8

• Structural differentiation - religion dominated preindustrial, but industrialisation became smaller / specialised.

Question 9

Engels

Answer 9

• Religion inhibits change by distinguishing inequality, but can encourage social change.
• E.g. protest in low hierarchy.

Question 10

Bruce

Answer 10

• Compared Civil Right Movement to New Christian Right.