Religion & Social Groups Flashcards
Women are more religious than men - Miller and Hoffman
Studies have consistently shown that women are more religious than men
Miller and Hoffman suggest there is lots of evidence for this:
- Women are more likely to show a stronger interest in religion.
- They have a stronger religious commitment.
- They are more likely to attend church.
- Women are more likely to participate in sects or WR-NRMs.
- Women are more likely to participate in cults and the new age movement
Why are women more religious
Role of caregiving (Greely)
Differential socialisation
Gender roles - more involved with birth, marriage and death so may be more involved with rituals surrounding these events
Deprivation (Glock and Stark)
Self improvement
Criticisms of women being more likely to be religious
Women’s participation in traditional religion has been on the decline and gender differences are reducing. Brierley found churchgoing has dropped amongst women by 16.4% between 1990 and 2005.
Aune - 5 reasons for decline in women’s participation in religion - CRITICISMS
Fertility levels - women having fewer children so less involved with church activities
Feminist values - Brown
Paid employment - too busy for religion and going to church
Increase in family diversity - mainstream religion disproves of lifestyles like single parent and same sex family
Sexuality - religion doesn’t fit with postmodern ideas of sexuality and homosexuality - not accepted by the church
Social class and religion
Marxists would suggest that working class or deprived individuals would be more religious as it compensates them for their status. Weber says it explains their position through a theodicy of disprivilege.
The ruling classes are more likely to appear religious as it supports and legitimises their positions of privilege in society.
Dawkins suggests middle class are belonging without believing
Age and religion - Brierley
Brierley used statistics and demonstrated that those over 65 are most likely to attend church. Also below the age of 15, there is higher participation due to parental pressure. The lowest rates of participation in religion are between the ages of 15 and 44. Young people are also more likely to join sects.
Why are the elderly more religious - Voas (5 reasons)
Religious socialisation - society more religion in the past, more important in school
Disengagement - use church as a social support network due to being less integrated in society
Deprivation - elderly are more likely to experience poverty so may turn to religion to cope
Time - if older people do not work they may have time to participate
Life crisis - death and illness turn people to religion as Malinowski suggests for coping
Why are young people less religious - Voas (3 reasons)
Declining attraction of mainstream religion - we now live in a leisure society with many choices available to children. Activities that are secular have become sacred for young people eg football, music, films are the providers for social solidarity and collective consciousness rather than religion
Decline in religious education - less emphasis on one faith in RE at school. Young peoples exposure to new types of beliefs in the spiritual marketplace and may turn away from traditional religion as a result.
Secularisation - society has become less religious and has become a private matter with the growth of believing but not belonging which appeals to young people
Criticism of age and religion
Young people may actuallly not be less religious but are religious in different ways. They are more likely to join sects as they act as a surrogate family and their strict norms may help young people cope with the complexities in the post modern world.
Young people are also more attracted to cults as they are marketed like a product and only require low levels of commitment and they promise material success
Census statistics of ethnicity and religion
Census statistics suggest that ethnic minorities are more religious than the white majority and the numbers of ethnic minorities and their religious practice has grown eg the number of Muslims in the UK has trebled since 1970.
Criticisms of census data of ethnicity and religion
Researchers such as Madood and Bruce state the second and third generation immigrants are as equally secular as the white majority , with religion not playing an important part in shaping their identity and only only attending places of worship for family functions or out of fear of conflict in their community
Functions of religion for ethnic minorities - why are ethnic minorities more religious
Aid to migration - religion was socially functional as it aided adjustment to a new society for South Asian migration to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s to encourage maintenance of cultural identity and social solidarity.
Rejecting Assimilation and mediating relationships - religion provides power to not withstand a culture that is not sympathetic and supporting to other religions, also building relationships between migrant and population by finding a common ground
Shield against racism - Mirza - Muslims turn to faith to revisit an increasingly hostile western society
Improvement of status - Pryce - Pentecostalism encourages hard work and careful use of wealth and encourages accumulation of wealth and success.
Explaining deprivation - theodicy of dispriviledge, deprived more likely to be religious and ethnic minorities more likely to be deprived.
Self identity - Ramji - suggests Muslim men and women religion was the basis for the creation of their gender identity eg men patriarchal ideas and women housewife
