ALL OF BELIEFS IN SOCIETY AQA SOCIOLOGY ALEVEL

DURKHEIM

Religion unites society by reinforcing shared norms and values; studied totemism in Aboriginal tribes.

MALINOWSKI

Religion helps people cope with life crises and uncertainty.

PARSONS

Religion gives meaning to life events and legitimates core norms and values.

BELL

Civil religion in the US binds society through shared national symbols and rituals.

MARX

Religion dulls oppression and justifies inequality — it’s the "opium of the people."

LENOIR

Lower classes are more religious, supporting Marx's idea that religion comforts the oppressed.

GRAMSCI

Religion can maintain ruling class power but also inspire working-class resistance.

BILLINGS

Miners used religion to support class struggle, unlike textile workers — shows religion can drive change.

WEBER

Calvinist beliefs encouraged capitalism by promoting hard work and discipline.

KALBERG

Agrees with Weber — Calvinism influenced Western capitalism due to favourable conditions.

BRUCE

Religion can support social change (e.g. civil rights) but is declining in modern society.

MADDEN

Pentecostalism gave women more home power by promoting discipline and control over men.

WOODHEAD

Religion can empower women, especially in newer religious movements.

DAVIE

People still believe but don’t attend — “believing without belonging.”

VOAS AND CROCKETT

Belief and attendance both declining, especially among youth.

HADAWAY

Church attendance is overstated — people claim to go more than they do.

LYON

Religion is now online and part of a spiritual marketplace.

HELLAND

Two types of online religion: “religion online” (info) and “online religion” (interactive).

LEHMAN

Migrants use religion for identity and support in new societies.

STARK AND BAINBRIDGE

Religion thrives with choice and competition — like a market.

NIEBUHR

Sects are short-lived and often evolve into denominations.

WILSON

Secularisation is rising — religion losing influence.

HEELAS AND WOODHEAD

New Age beliefs rising; spiritual revolution seen in Kendal study.

NAM

New Age movements attract middle-class women seeking identity and independence.

WALLIS

Three NRM types: world-rejecting, world-accommodating, world-affirming.

WEBER (again)

Religion can cause social change when tied to wider economic or social factors.

TROELTSCH

Identified types of religious organisations: churches, sects, denominations, cults.

BECKFORD

Globalisation causes both growth and decline in religion by spreading ideas.

ALDRIDGE

Religion still matters — belief may be private or online, so underreported.

BRUCE (again)

Religion losing power in public and private life — supports secularisation thesis.

GIDDENS

Late modernity creates anxiety — religion offers meaning and stability.

CASTELLS

People use religion to resist marginalisation and reclaim identity.

BAUMAN

In a fast-changing world, religion offers comfort and guidance.

LYOTARD

Postmodern society rejects big ideologies, including religion.

HERVIEU-LEGER

Religion is now chosen, not inherited — people build their own beliefs.

BAUDRILLARD

Religion is consumed like a product through media simulations.

HAMILTON

Science replaced religion by offering more rational explanations.

KUHN

Science changes through revolutions, replacing outdated worldviews.

POPPER

Science progresses through testing and falsifying — unlike religion.

MERTON

Science developed due to Protestant values and is supported by CUDOS norms.

DAVIE

Religion is privatized, not declining. Vicarious religion means a small active group prays for others.

HELLAND

Online religion means discussion communities; religion online means organised groups spreading beliefs.

WILSON

US church attendance reflects tradition more than belief. UK secularisation shown by less marriage, more divorce, and less political church influence.

HADAWAY

Church attendance is exaggerated; actual attendance is much lower than surveys claim.

BRUCE

Western religion secularizes internally to stay relevant. Eastern fundamentalism reacts to external Western influence. Religious diversity leads to acceptance of different beliefs.

LYND AND LYND

Young churchgoers’ belief in Christianity as the only true religion fell from 94% (1924) to 41% (1977).

STARK AND BAINBRIDGE

Secularisation is Eurocentric. US religion is a competitive market where people choose religion based on rewards.

ROOF AND MCKINNEY

Religious practice is not declining among conservative Protestants who attend church and support traditional morals.

HAWLEY

Fundamentalism is patriarchal because it supports traditional male dominance.

GIDDENS

Globalisation spreads liberal values that threaten tradition, causing some to turn to fundamentalism.

BAUMAN

Globalisation causes uncertainty, leading to fundamentalism as a source of clear truth.

CASTELLS

Two responses to postmodernity: resistance identity (defend tradition) and project identity (embrace change).

HUNTINGTON

Clash of Civilisations: world conflicts rise from cultural and religious differences among seven major civilisations.

JACKSON

Critiques Huntington’s theory as orientalist, unfairly stereotyping Eastern cultures as inferior.

NANDA

Pentecostalism grows by adapting globally but connecting to local culture, helping economic and social change.

BERGER

Pentecostalism spreads rapidly like Calvinism, promoting work ethic and economic growth.

LEHMANN

Pentecostalism worldwide shares core messages but adapts to local concerns to gain followers.

BECKFORD

‘fixated by fundementalism’ spend to much time on fundementalism when its only a small amount but we should be looking at Catholic Church as more impact on more people