Sociology, Paper 2, 2018, Topic B1 Beliefs in Society

Question 1

Outline and explain two ways in which globalisation may affect religious beliefs and
practices.
[10 marks]

Answer 1

Indicative content

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

• deterritorialisation – religions no longer linked to places and populations
• postmodernist emphasis on choice and consumerism – global spiritual supermarket
• development of transnational religions
• revitalisation of religious traditions
• fundamentalism as a response to globalisation
• religion for cultural defence and identity
• declining levels of religious freedom
• growth of religious syncretism.

Sources may include the following or other relevant ones: Singleton; Meyer et al; Huntington;Giddens; Kurtz; Ben-Nun Bloom et al; Stark and Bainbridge; Norris and Ingelhart; Heelas; Lyon; Bryman.

Question 2

Read Item I below and answer the question that follows.

Item I

Minority ethnic groups often arrive in the United Kingdom with a different culture from
that of the host society. Also, members of minority ethnic groups often face racism in
their everyday lives.

Applying material from Item I, analyse two reasons why minority ethnic groups in the
United Kingdom are often more religious than the majority of the population.
[10 marks]

Answer 2

Sources may include the following or other relevant ones: 
Weber; 
Marx; 
Stark and Bainbridge;
Modood et al; 
Bruce; 
Davie; 
Johal; 
Butler; 
Jacobson; 
Mirza et al.

Question 3

Read Item J below and answer the question that follows.

Item J

Postmodernists argue that there has been an increase in spirituality in the United
Kingdom. For example, there is increased interest in New Age activities such as yoga,
meditation and crystal healing.
However, theories of secularisation claim that traditional organised religion has
declined, while science and rational thought have become more important.

Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that an increase in spirituality in the United Kingdom has compensated for the decline of organised religion.
[20 marks]

Answer 3

Indicative content

Concepts and issues such as the following may appear: 
secularisation; 
believing without belonging; resacralisation; globalisation; 
religious market theory; 
existential security theory;
postmodernism; spirituality; 
spiritual supermarket; 
New Age.

Sources may include the following or other relevant ones: Wilson; Davie; Berger; Heelas; Giddens; Bauman; Bruce; Bryman; Lyon; Stark and Bainbridge; Norris and Inglehart.