Showing posts with label Beliefs in Society. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beliefs in Society. Show all posts
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Monday, 17 June 2013
Beliefs in society- Sociological theories of religion
Durkheim and functionalism:
Emile Durkheim, the founder of functionalism, spent much of his academic career studying religions, especially those of small societies. Durkheim found that people tend to separate religious symbols, objects, and rituals, which are sacred, from the daily symbols, objects, and routines of existence referred to as the profane.
Durkheim also argued that religion never concerns only belief, but also encompasses regular rituals and ceremonies on the part of a group of believers, who then develop and strengthen a sense of group solidarity. Rituals are necessary to bind together the members of a religious group, and they allow individuals to escape from the mundane aspects of daily life into higher realms of experience. Sacred rituals and ceremonies are especially important for marking occasions such as births, marriages, times of crisis, and deaths.
Weber and social change:
Durkheim claimed that his theory applied to religion in general, yet he based his conclusions on a limited set of examples. Max Weber, on the other hand, initiated a large‐scale study of religions around the globe.
The fundamental purpose of Weber's research was to discover religion's impact on social change. For example, in Protestantism, especially the “Protestant Work Ethic,” Weber saw the roots of capitalism. In the Eastern religions, Weber saw barriers to capitalism. For example, Hinduism stresses attaining higher levels of spirituality by escaping from the toils of the mundane physical world. Such a perspective does not easily lend itself to making and spending money.
The link to the above for more information: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sciences/sociology/religion/sociological-theories-of-religion
Emile Durkheim, the founder of functionalism, spent much of his academic career studying religions, especially those of small societies. Durkheim found that people tend to separate religious symbols, objects, and rituals, which are sacred, from the daily symbols, objects, and routines of existence referred to as the profane.
Durkheim also argued that religion never concerns only belief, but also encompasses regular rituals and ceremonies on the part of a group of believers, who then develop and strengthen a sense of group solidarity. Rituals are necessary to bind together the members of a religious group, and they allow individuals to escape from the mundane aspects of daily life into higher realms of experience. Sacred rituals and ceremonies are especially important for marking occasions such as births, marriages, times of crisis, and deaths.
Weber and social change:
Durkheim claimed that his theory applied to religion in general, yet he based his conclusions on a limited set of examples. Max Weber, on the other hand, initiated a large‐scale study of religions around the globe.
The fundamental purpose of Weber's research was to discover religion's impact on social change. For example, in Protestantism, especially the “Protestant Work Ethic,” Weber saw the roots of capitalism. In the Eastern religions, Weber saw barriers to capitalism. For example, Hinduism stresses attaining higher levels of spirituality by escaping from the toils of the mundane physical world. Such a perspective does not easily lend itself to making and spending money.
The link to the above for more information: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sciences/sociology/religion/sociological-theories-of-religion
Friday, 14 June 2013
Beliefs in society
Useful Links:
- http://getrevising.co.uk/resources?q=sociology+beleifs+in+society&sl=%2C&filter_kind- Get revising is a very good website which makes revising fun and easy
- http://www.socialsciencetutor.co.uk/sociology/aqa-a2-sociology-revision- Break down of each theorists
- http://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/sociology/the-role-of-religion/revise-it/change-in-religion- This website has a lot of information about the change in religion
The links are to help you find out some more information about beliefs in society and you can find some useful revision tools such as quizzes, flashcards and notes to help.
Sub topics:
- Theories of religion
- The influence os society on religion
- The secularisation debate
- Postmodernity and religion
- Religion and development
- Fundamentalism
- Types of religious organisation
- Science as a belief system
The things you need to know to revise:
- Define and understand the different sub topics
- Look at the Functionalist, Marxist, Phenomenologists, Feminists and others beleifs and arguments
- Examine new religious movements
- Look at how religion influences society
- Weigh up the arguments for and against Religion
Friday, 13 July 2012
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Secularisation Theory
Secularisation Theory is the theory in sociology that as society advances in modernity, religion retreats. Intellectual and scientific developments have undermined the spiritual, supernatural, superstitious and paranormal ideas on which religion relies for its legitimacy. Therefore, religion becomes more and more "hollow", surviving for a while on empty until loss of active membership forces them into obscurity. The evidences and shortcomings of this theory are discussed later in this text.
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Beliefs in society
UNIT 3: Topics
- Sociological theories on Religion
Marx declared that religion is the "opium of people" and that it prohibits social change by teaching non resistance to oppression.
Durkheim saw religion within the context of the entire society and acknowledged it's place in infulencing the thinking and behaiviour of the members of society.
- Secularisation
- Religion and different sociological groups
- Religious organisations
- Sciences and ideology
- Sociological theories on Religion
Marx declared that religion is the "opium of people" and that it prohibits social change by teaching non resistance to oppression.
Durkheim saw religion within the context of the entire society and acknowledged it's place in infulencing the thinking and behaiviour of the members of society.
- Secularisation
- Religion and different sociological groups
- Religious organisations
- Sciences and ideology
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