RELIGION

Sociology 101

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Religion

religions is a universal found in every culture.

Religion

system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things” was defined by Emile Durkheim as a “unified  Durkheim stressed the social impact of religion • Interested in religious behavior within a social context

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Durkheim and the Sociological Approach to Religion

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Sacred

: Elements beyond everyday life that inspire awe, respect, and even fear █

Profane

: Includes the ordinary and commonplace

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Functionalism

Functions of Religion Manifest functions

  Religion defines the spiritual world and gives meaning to the divine Religion also provides an explanation for events that are difficult to understand 1.

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the purpose of life, why people suffer, and 3.

the existence of an afterlife

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Religion - Functionalism

  Those answers give people a sense of purpose Strengthened by such beliefs, people are less likely to collapse in despair when confronted by life’s calamities

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The Integrative Function of Religion

 Durkheim viewed religion as an integrative force in human society    Gives meaning and purpose to people’s lives Gives people ultimate values and ends to hold in common Strengthens social integration within specific faiths and denominations  In some instances, religious loyalties are dysfunctional

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Religion and Social Control: The Marxist Approach

   Marx was an atheist who believed that the existence of God was an impossibility Marx recognized that religion promoted stability within society, but it also perpetuated patterns of social inequality According to Marx, religion serves elites, by legitimizing the status quo and diverting people’s attention from social inequities

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Marxist Approach

  In his view religion often drugged the masses into submission by offering a consolation for their harsh lives on earth: the hope for salvation in an ideal after life Marx described religion as "the opiate of the people".

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Table 13-3: Sociological Perspectives on Religion

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World Religions

Diversity in World Religions

  85 percent of the world’s population adheres to some religion

Christianity

is the largest faith around the world with about 34 percent of the population.

 it includes the Roman Catholic Church, the numerous Protestant denominations, and the Eastern Orthodox Church with over 1.9 billion faithful

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World Religions

█ About 85% of world’s population adheres to some religion – Christianity largest single faith, Islam is second • Monotheistic and impose moral code – Differences among religions exceeded by variations within faiths

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Religion

 the second largest is Islam with about 19 percent, and is the fastest growing of the major religions.  Monotheistic and impose moral code

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Figure 13-4: Religions of the World

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Table 13-2: Major World Religions

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Organization of Religious Behavior

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ecclesia

is a religious organization claiming to include most or all of the members of a society and is recognized as the national or official religion Ecclesiae are conservative, in general, and do not challenge the leaders of a secular government

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Denominations

   A denomination is a large, organized religion not officially linked with the state or government A denomination tends to have an explicit set of beliefs, a defined system of authority, and a generally respected position in society The United States has the most denominations in the world. It is a result of the immigrant heritage

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Denominations

   Eighty-seven percent of the population identify themselves as Christian, and the largest Christian denominations is the Roman Catholic Church, with about 57 million members.

About 80 million people, or 60 percent of the religious population are Protestant, but they are divided into hundreds of denominations The Southern Baptist Convention, with about 15 million members is currently the largest Protestant denomination

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Religious Organization

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Figure 15.3: Largest Religious Groups in the United States by County, 2000

Sects

    A sect can be defined as a relatively small religious group that has broken away from some other religious organization to renew what it considers the original vision of the faith Sect formation is very common in the U.S. Sects usually exhibit a higher degree of fervor and loyalty than more established religious groups do To sustain their membership, sects rely on active recruitment, of new members

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New Religious Movements or Cults

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New Religious Movement (NRM)

: Small, secretive religious groups that represent either a new religion or a major innovation of an existing faith – Similar to sects – Tend to be small – Viewed as less respectable than more established faiths

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Table 13-4: Characteristics of Ecclesiae, Denominations, Sects, and New Religious Movements

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Religious Behavior

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Religious beliefs

: statements to which members of a particular religion adhere 

Fundamentalism

: rigid adherence to fundamental religious doctrines  Fundamentalism found worldwide among most major religious groups

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The Secularization of Culture

   Sociologists use the term secularization of culture to refer to a culture that, once heavily influenced by religion, has lost much of its religious influence The only sphere of influence that religion retains in advanced societies is the family It is no longer the primary cohesive force in societies, having been replaced by nationalism and other secular and political ideologies

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Religion in the Schools

 The Setting  First Amendment protects religious freedom  In 1987, Supreme Court ruled states could not compel the teaching of creationism in public schools  Creationists want Bible’s version of creation of world taught as the only theory of evolution or as an alternative theory

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Religion in the Schools

 Sociological Insights  Supporters of school prayer and creationism feel there is too much separation in schools between the sacred and the profane  Opponents argue a religious majority in a community might impose viewpoints specific to its faith at the expense of religious minorities

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Sociological Perspectives on Education

 Education is social institution that formally socializes members of society  Number of people age 25 or over with a high school diploma increased from 41% in 1960 to more than 85% in 2004  Those with a college degree rose from 8% in 1960 to about 28% in 2004

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Sociological Perspectives on Education

█ Education is social institution that formally socializes members of society – Number of people age 25 or over with a high school diploma increased from 41% in 1960 to more than 86% in 2006 – Those with a college degree rose from 8% in 1960 to 28% in 2006

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Functionalist View

█ Transmitting Culture – Exposing young people to existing beliefs, norms, and values of their culture █ Promoting Social and Political Integration – Common identity and social integration fostered by education contributes to societal stability and consensus

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Functionalist View

█ Maintaining Social Control – Schools teach students punctuality, discipline, scheduling, responsible work habits, and how to negotiate a bureaucratic organization █ Serving as an Agent of Change Schools serve as a meeting ground where people can share distinctive beliefs and traditions

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Figure 13-1: Percentage of Adults Ages 25 to 64 Who Have Completed Higher Education

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Conflict View

█ Education is instrument of elite domination – Schools socialize students into values dictated by the powerful, stifle individualism and creativity, and promote relatively insignificant change

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Conflict View

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The Hidden Curriculum

: Standards of behavior deemed proper by society are taught subtly in schools

Credentialism

: Increase in the lowest level of education needed to enter a field

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Conflict View

█ Bestowal of Status – Schools tend to preserve social class inequalities in each new generation –

Tracking

: Practice of placing students in specific curriculum groups on the basis of test scores and other criteria –

Correspondence principle

: Promotes values expected of individuals in each social class; perpetuate social class divisions

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Feminist Views

█ Treatment of Women in Education – In 20th century, sexism in: • Stereotypes in textbooks • Pressure to study traditional women’s subjects • Unequal funding for athletics • Employment bias – Women have made strides in continuing education

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Interactionist View

█ Labeling approach suggests that if people are treated in particular ways, they may fulfill expectations

Teacher-expectation effect

: Impact of teacher expectations and their large role on student performance

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Table 13-1: Sociological Perspectives on Education

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Bureaucratization of Schools

█ Weber noted five characteristics of bureaucracy: – Division of labor – Hierarchy of authority – Written rules and regulations – Impersonality – Employment based on technical qualifications

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Teachers: Employees and Instructors

█ Teachers undergo many stresses – Between a quarter and a third of new teachers quit within their first 3 years █ Fewer students choose teaching as career due to perceived low income – In 2007, 4.7% first-year college students were interested in elementary education and 4.7% in high school education

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Student Subcultures

█ In colleges: – Collegiate subculture – Academic subculture – Vocational subculture – Nonconformist subculture • Each student is exposed to competing subcultures and must determine which seems most in line with his or her feelings and interests

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Homeschooling

█ More than 2 million children are educated at home – Good alternative for children with ADHD and LD – Homeschooled children score higher on standardized tests – Some theorists cite lack of social involvement as problem

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Figure 13-2: Average Salary for Teachers

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Figure 13-3: Public High School Graduates by Race and Ethnicity, 2014 (projected)

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