Sociology, Paper 2, 2017, Topic B1 Beliefs in Society

Question 1

1. Outline and explain two reasons why sects tend to recruit members from particular social groups.
   [10 marks]

Answer 1

Indicative Content

Answers may include the following and/or other relevant points:

• social deprivation, marginality and theodicies of disprivilege
• sects as compensators for social inequalities
• status frustration
• types of deprivation
• sects as protest groups
• attraction of sects for groups affected by anomie
• sects as less patriarchal
• sects and cultural defence, cultural transition

Sources may include the following or other relevant ones:
Barker; 
Stark and Bainbridge;
Wallis; 
Weber; 
Wilson.

Question 2

Read Item I below and answer the question that follows.

Item I

Religion gives people principles by which they can live their lives and gives them a
profound sense of being right. Religious beliefs sometimes lead believers to act in
ways that can have unforeseen consequences for society.

Many sociologists therefore argue that religion can lead to social change.
Applying material from Item I, analyse two ways in which religion can lead to social
change.

Answer 2

Sources may include the following or other relevant ones: 
Giddens; 
Gramsci; 
Gary Marx;
Maduro; 
Weber.

Question 3

Read Item J below and answer the question that follows.

Item J

The development of modern society has been accompanied by a scientific approach
to understanding and controlling the world. Scientific explanations, based on
evidence and reason, have challenged religious explanations based on faith.

However, religion continues to play an important role in many people’s lives today.
Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that science has a greater influence than religion on people’s lives today.

Answer 3

Indicative content

Concepts and issues such as the following may appear: 
science; 
ideology; 
open and
closed belief systems; 
the Enlightenment; 
scientism; 
empirical evidence; 
falsification;
secularisation; 
rationalisation; 
disenchantment; 
disengagement; 
religious pluralism;
globalisation;
modernity; 
postmodernity; 
postmodernism.

Sources may include the following or other relevant ones: 
Bellah; 
Berger; 
Bruce; 
Davie;
Giddens; 
Glock and Stark; 
Lyon; 
Martin; 
Stark and Bainbridge; 
Weber; 
Wilson.