Key terms - Beliefs in society (copy)

Ideology

A set of ideas, values and beliefs that provide a way of interpreting the world

Pluralism

A view that seized power in society being spread among a wide range of interest, groups and individuals

Dominant ideology

A set of ideas which are used to justify the position of the bourgeoisie and to justify the disadvantage and exploitation of the proletariat

Hegemony

The dominance of ruling class ideas

Ideological State Apparatus

The social institutions in society that spread the dominant ideology

Patriarchal ideology

The set of ideas that support and justify the power of men in a patriarchal society

Scientism

A belief system or ideology which believes that the scientific method provides the only means of gaining true knowledge about the world

Empirical evidence

Observable evidence that is collected by researchers

Objectivity

Avoiding bias

Value freedom

The beliefs and biases of the researcher should not influence the way research is carried out

Paradigms

Frameworks which influence the way in which science is conducted

Sacred

Things that are set apart and forbidden

Profane

The everyday, mundane and non-religious

Inclusivist definition

Very broad and covers a wide range of beliefs to which people give a religious or sacred quality

Exclusivist definition

Narrower and involve a supernatural belief of some kind

Open belief system

Open to questioning, testing and falsifying

Closed belief system

Cannot be disproved because it relies on faith or belief rather than evidence

Modernity

Period of time from the enlightenment of the 17th century to the middle of the 20th century

Disenchantment

The magical mystical elements of life are displaced by science and scientific explanation

Fundamentalism

To return to the literal meaning of religious texts

Metanarratives

A big theory or story providing an explanation for how the world operates

Secularisation

Declining importance of religion

Vacuum of meaning

The empty space left by the decline of traditional religion within society

Disneyisation

Something is transformed into a diluted simplified version

Social solidarity

Integration of people into society

Value consensus

Agreement over the main values of society

Cultural defence

Religion being used to protect a community identity

Cultural transition

Religion providing a source of identity and support during a period of transition

Collective conscience

Shared beliefs and values

Civil religion

A belief that doesn’t rely on the supernatural but still results in social solidarity

Alienation

A lack of control and satisfaction

Opium of the people

Religion acting as a hallucinatory, pain-relieving drug

Relative autonomy

The superstructure having some independence

Cultural imperialism

Western culture being forced onto other cultures

Universe of meaning

A set of beliefs and values that gives life order and meaning

Sacred canopy

Religion acting as a shield over society, protecting people from uncertainty

Theodicy

A religious framework/explanation

Marginalisation

Being pushed to the edge of society

Conservative force

Preventing social change and protecting traditional values

Social change

Progress or evolution within a society or culture

Globalisation

The growing interconnectedness of societies around the world

Typology

Generalisations used to classify things into groups according to their characteristics

NRM

New religious movement. World rejecting, affirming and accomodating

Religious pluralism

Having a variety of different religions in society

Millenarianism

A belief that society is evil and that there will be an intervention that will destroy our existing society and replace it with a perfect world

Theodicy of dispriviledge

A religious explanation for social inequality and deprivation

Status frustration

A sense of upset that you have been denied status in society

NAM

New age movement - a wide diversity of interests and therapies that focus on self-spirituality

Relative deprivation

Feeling you are lacking something in comparison to others

Anomie

Normlessness

Patriarchy

Male power and domination

Glass ceiling

An invisible barrier of prejudice and discrimination that stops women from rising up a heirarchy

Ethnicity

A shared culture of a social group that gives them a common identity

Minority ethnic group

A social group that shares a cultural identity that is different from the majority of society

Islamophobia

Irrational fear or hatred of Muslims or Islamic culture

Stigmatised identity

An identity that is seen as undesirable and stops people being fully accepted by society

Believing not belonging

Having private religious belief but not participating in any religious organisation

Secular spirituality

People becoming particularly attached to objects, experiences or other people who then take on the form of sacred in their lives

Secular

Non-religious

Desacrilisation

No longer being able to sense a sacredness and mystery in life

Resacrilisation

A renewal and continuing vitality of religious belief

Structural differentiation

Loss of functions

Ecumenical movement

Christian denominations joining together

Fuzzy fidelity

Casual loyalty to religion

Holistic milieu

New age mind-body spirituality

Existential security

Feeling that you can take security for granted

Deterritorialisation

Religions no longer being connected to specific geographical locations