Beliefs in society
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140 Terms
What are theistic beliefs
A belief in a higher power
What are new age movements
Spiritual beliefs rather than religious - focused on self development rather than devolution to a higher power
What is animism
A belief in spirits and ghosts
What is totenism
A form of animism in which a community creates a symbol that represents them as a group
What is the substantive definition of religion
Uses core characteristics shared by major religions making it exclusive
What is the functional definition of religion
Looks at what religion does for a society
What is the constructionist definition of religion
Focuses on how definitions of religion are constructed, challenged and fought over
Why can religion considered a closed belief system
Because they often hold a monopoly over the truth + they can be conservative in their beliefs
Why can religion be considered an open belief system
Herberg - internal secularisation
Some religions have diluted their beliefs in order to stay relevant in modern society showing some religions are open to change
How can science be a closed belief system
Individuals do not want to receive criticism nor give it to others resulting in ideas remaining unquestioned
How can science be seen as an open belief system
Popper
It is open to challenge and criticism
What are self sustaining beliefs
Polanyi - in order to protect themself from challenge closed systems have 3 main tendencies
Denial of legitimacy
Subsidiary explanations
Circularity
What is an example of a closed belief system according to Evan’s
The Azende witches
Having a strong belief in witch craft causing misfortune seems irrational to outsiders but no one in the tribe questions it
What is an ideology
A belief system which claims to hold knowledge about society
What do Marxists think the purpose of ideology is
Science is a tool used by the ruling class to promote capitalism. This is done through generating mass profits
What do feminists argue the purpose of ideology is and what is an example of this
Science blocks women from positions of power by tainting them as weak
Bowlby’s study of maternal deprivation blames working mothers for poor child development
What do post modernism say about ideology
There are multiple within society and they reflect the values and world views of different social groups
What does Mannheim say about ideology
Ideology reflects intellectuals own personal interest
Ideologically thought - justifies tradition
Utopian thought - promotes social change
We need to detach ourselves and create a world view we can all relate to also known as a ‘free floating intelligentsia’
What are paradigms
A framework which shapes how science is defined and understood
What does falsification mean
For something to be scientific it must be possible to prove false
What are the CUDOS norms and what sociologist outlines these
Merton
C - communism
U - universalism
D - disinterested
OS - organised scepticism
What do Interpretivists about scientific knowledge
It’s socially constructed because it is the result of shared paradigms and theories, when new instruments are invented new facts are created
What is the little green men example for scientific knowledge being a social construct
When pulsars was initially annotated as ‘little green men’ this was deemed unacceptable to the scientific community
What is an example of science being developed for capitalism
The theory of ballistics was driven by the need for new weaponry which could be manufactured and sold
What do postmodernists say about scientific knowledge
Science is one of a number of meta narratives which try to provide a big picture view of what is ‘true’
What does Lyotard say about scientific knowledge
Science claims to progress society but in reality it’s just used to dominate people
science has become a ‘techno science’ serving capitalist interests by producing commodities for profit
What is Aldridges 3 stages from religious to scientific explanations
Theological - God/supernatural
Metaphysical - supernatural diminished instead use nature
Scientific - rational thought using experiments
How does Durkheim relate religion to the sacred and profane
Argues religion differentiates between the sacred (things that are special because they are the product of a higher power) and the profane
How does Durkheim use totemism as an example for his theory
Studying the Arunta Aboriginal tribe he found they worshipped a totem in the form of a plant or animal which represents the clans origins and identity - reinforces belonging and identity
How does Durkheim claim sacred symbols represent collective consciousness
Religious rituals reinforce it and maintain social integration reminding people they share a common moral outlook to which they owe loyalty
What does Parsons say the 2 functions of religion are
Legitimise central values by sacralising them, serving to promote a value consensus
Answers ultimate questions, maintaining social stability
What is civil religion
Attaches sacred qualities to society itself eg American way of life
loyalty to the nation state and a belief in God
What are Malinowski’s phycological functions
Helps people cope with emotional stress which could undermine social solidarity
When the outcome is uncontrollable
During life crisis
How does religion legitimise inequality
Promotes false class consciousness arguing suffering in this world will be rewarded in the next life
eg : in Christianity it is taught that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven
How does religion legitimise power of the ruling class
Religion encourages the proletariat to believe the class system is Gods will
eg : the hymn all things bring and beautiful argues the rich and the poor are created by God
How does religion act as spiritual gin
Lenin describes religion as the opium of the masses keeping the proletariat unaware of their struggling to prevent revolution
How does religion alienate the working class
Suffering as a test of faith
Existential security
Promise of afterlife
What is alienation
Lack of power, control and fulfilment experienced by workers which means the means of production are privately owned
In what 3 ways is religion like opium
Dulls the pain of exploitation, give a distorted world view, give a temporary
How do Abercrombie Hill and Turner critise the Marxist view of religion
In preindustrial society Christianity was a major element of ruling class ideology but it had very little impact on the peasantry showing religion doesn’t always exist to control the population
What is Bloch’s neo Marxist view on religion having a dual nature
Positive and negative influence - acts as a conservative force but also can offer the ‘principle of hope’ which can lead to revolution
What is Gramsci’s Neo Marxist view on religion having a dual nature
Individual autonomy within a church can lead to churches producing their own set of ideas rather than official messages provoking social change
How do Neo Marxist and Marxist differ when looking at religion
Agree that religion can exploit the poor but Neo Marxists believe religion can be a cause for social change
What is Maduro’s the Neo Marxist view on religion acting as a force for social change
Charismatic Religious leaders could inspire their congregations, these leaders would also be deemed untouchable as they are sacred which means if they came to any harm it could provoke revolution
What is liberation theology
A response to the failure of the Vatican to help its followers escape poverty and exploitation. Priest’s encouraged those to overthrow oppressing dictators
How does Mary Daly the feminist believe religion maintains patriarchy
As it was men who determined what was included in the bible they were able to re write the narrative portraying male domination over women
What is a criticism of religion being used to maintain patriarchy
Woodhead argued women use religion as a way to gain greater freedom and respect
Why do stark and Bainbridge say women are more likely to join cults and sects
Organismic deprivation, ethical and social
What is an example of religion maintaining patriarchy
Portraying God as a man or restricting access for women to top levels of the church
How does Beauvoir the feminist believe religion treat women as second class believers
Tricks women into believing they are equal to men in the eyes of Gods and socialises girls into worshipping a male God so they’ll unconsciously see men as superior
How does religion oppress women due to the stained glass ceeling according to Armstrong
Essentially means women are blocked from progressing to the top of the hierarchy
What’s an example of religion acting as a stained glass ceeling
The vote to allow female bishops in the Church of England was strongly opposed by traditionalists
What does reflexivity mean
We are constantly reevaluating are ideas and theories
What does disembedding mean
We no longer need face to face contact in order to interact
What is cultural amnesia
The loss of religion that was handed down by parents
What is a pluralist society
A diverse society which tolerates a range of beliefs
What does lyotard say about religion being a monopoly over the truth
Religion provides a meta narrative which tries to hold a monopoly over the truth - no longer acceptable in the modern world
What does Lyon say about spiritual shoppers
As a result of religious leaders using the media to publicise their beliefs a market place has emerged
Why in the postmodern world do religious leaders have to use media to promote their religion
People’s identities have become fluid in the post modern world meaning religions have to work harder to attract more members and maintain current ones
what does Lyon say about disembedding
Religion has become dis embedded in the post modern society - it is no longer embedded into its original context allowing people to pick what they like
What does Hervieu-Leger say about religions inability to change
It’s inability to change has led to its demise because there’s so many views to compete with leading to scrutiny of mainstream religions
What is an evaluation of disembedding
It has been over exaggerated eg for Muslims mosques are a huge part of their belief system
How does religion act as a conservative force according to Durkheim
Acts as a form of informal social control which maintains the status quo - provides a cultural basis for norms and values and legitimates them
How does religion act as a conservative force according to Marxists
Religion is an ideological status apparatus that maintains and legitimates ruling class power and ideology - this maintains the status quo
How does religion act as a conservative force according to feminists
Maintains patriarchy by justifying male domination over women
How does Berger argue religion acts as a universe of meaning
Acts as a sacred canopy by helping people make sense of the world and giving life meaning and focus
How did Calvinism lead to capitalism
Calvinism emphasises values such as hard work and refrainment from spending this leads to individuals working hard then reinvesting it into businesses
What is a criticism of Calvinism leading to capitalism
Capitalism already existed prior to Calvinism, it just justified why the ruling class controlled the means of production
How does the American civil rights movement display religion as a form of social change
Martin Luther King used Christian values to unite people against social segregation
How does the new Christian right show religion acting as a force for social change
Aims to resist changes that have occurred in American society such as the liberalisation of homosexuality or divorce
unsuccessful because it has a negative tone that polarises people rather than unites
What are characteristics of a church
Bureaucratic and closely linked to the state, world accommodating and universalistic
What are characteristics of a denomination
World accommodating, more democratic than churches and conservative
What are characteristics of a sect
Small, not bureaucratic, closed membership, world reject
What are characteristics of new religious movements
Small, religious, young adults, charismatic leader, monopoly of truth, short lived
What are characteristics of new age movements
Emphasis on self improvement and no authority, world affirming
What is an example of a sect
The monies
What is an example of a new religious movement
Scientology or heavens gate
What is an example of a new age movement
UFO or crystals
What is a practical/pragmatic reason for the growth of NRM
Barker says religious organisations offer escapes from the pressure of work and family
Why has secularisation caused the growth of NRM
Giddens says traditional religions have watered down their beliefs to fit into a more secular world - people look to NRM for comfort and community
Why do post modernists believe NRM have grown in size
Bauman says with so many conflicting ideologies and beliefs people experience a crisis of meaning and join NRM to regain some control and normality
How have globalisation and media caused the growth of NRM
Globalisation + mass media has opened up access to new belief systems - media saturated society
gives NRM a platform to attract new members
How has marginalisation caused the growth of NRM
Weber says world rejecting NRM’s provide a theodicy of dispriviledge
How has protest caused the emergence of NRM
Glock and Stark argue that NRM form as a result of religious/social protest - appeal to those whose ideas don’t conform to the rest of society
How has anomie and social change caused the growth of NRM
Wilson argues that rapid change can caused anomie as it undermines traditional norms - NRM provide solutions to uncertainty
How has relative deprivation caused the growth of NRM
Stark and Bainbridge argue that the NRM’s belief systems help to overcome subjective suffering
How does status frustration cause the growth of NRM
Wallis argues that marginality causes status frustration which NRM can help overcome - eg appeal to the young due to frustration at school or family
Why does Barker say sects are short lived
Some people are unable to cope with the strict discipline or rules causing a lack of commitment
Why does loss of the leader cause sects to be short lived
Sects are often created due to a charismatic leader - without it the group may collapse
What’s a counter for suggesting that sects are short lived due to loss of the leader
Not all disband after loss of the leader eg FLDS has continued since the arrest of their leader
Why can changing circumstances mean that sects are short lived
the social circumstance for why someone originally joined a cult may change or second generations may not feel the initial reason
Why might sects not be short lived
Not all have a charismatic leader, many are successful in socialising the next generation
What’s an example of a sect that has not disbanded
Jehovah’s witnesses developed in 1880s and is still going today
What are conversionalist sects
Less hostile to the outside world and want to convert people - usually turn into a denomination eg Salvation Army
In what ways is religion patriarchal
Stained glass ceeling, veiling of women, fewer rights, scriptures
Why does ancient polytheistic religions shown that religion is not patriarchal
Female goddesses were worshipped equally with male gods in Ancient Greece Rome and Egypt
How does religion act as a resistance to patriarchy
Some may argue veils are freeing women of male gaze and sexual harassment
What is a fact supporting women’s religiosity
BSAS found women are more likely to identify as religious
Why does gender role socialisation cause higher religiosity in women
Women are socialised into traits such as empathy and submissiveness
Why does a greater life expectancy lead to higher religiosity in women
As women are more likely o be widowed, religion can act as a source of comfort and a means of providing a support network