Beliefs - Religion & Social Change - 5.2 Flashcards

1
Q

How can Religion be seen as a conservative force?

A

Keeps things as they are, gives stability & social order, maintains beliefs on running of society, preserves the status quo.

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2
Q

Theories seeing religion as conservative force

A

> Functionalism (Consensus)
Marxism (Social Control)
Feminism (Social Control)

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3
Q

Functionalism (Consensus)

A

> Maintains social solidarity stops disintegration, through value consensus and dealing with stress.

> Agent of socialisation, maintains status quo, provides cultural basis for norms & values - legitimating them.

> e.g. Malinowski, Parsons, Durkheim

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4
Q

Marxism & Feminism (Social Control)

A

> Marxists & Feminists see religion as means of social control, in interests of powerful

> e.g. Marx - Ideological Weapon & false class consciousness, Feminism - Patriarchy & Subordination

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5
Q

Weber’s General View on Religion as Force for Social Change

A

Calvinism brought about spirit of capitalism based on pursuit of profit for its own sake rather than spending it on luxuries.

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6
Q

4 Main Calvinist Beliefs

A

> Predestination
Divine Transcendence
Asceticism
Vocation

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7
Q

Predestination

A

God’s predetermined souls saved ‘’the elect’’. This is decided from birth and is unchangeable

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8
Q

Divine Transcendence

A

God’s so great, no human can know his will, caused salvation panic in Calvinists, they didn’t know whether they’ll be going to hell or not.

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9
Q

Asceticism

A

Abstinence, self discipline & self denial, refraining from luxury, avoiding excess.

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10
Q

Vocation

A

Constant, methodical hard work in a job, but had no impact on salvation.

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11
Q

Response to Calvinist Beliefs

A

> Working hard was a solution to anxiety caused by beliefs on predestination, success could be sign of god’s favour & their salvation.

> Profit gained would be reinvested back into their businesses as they must live ascetically, to produce further profit.

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12
Q

Why has Capitalism failed in other countries?

A

> Due to lack of belief in system like calvinism, despite having factors e.g. trade, economy & legal system

> Lacked drive to accumulate wealth, calvinism was unique for capitalism to emerge.

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13
Q

Hinduism - Failure of Capitalism

A

Ancient India was ascetic religion, but was otherworldly focused on spiritual world.

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14
Q

Confucianism - Failure of Capitalism

A

Ancient China, despite being a worldly & material religion, it wasn’t ascetic.

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15
Q

A03 Key Sociologists for Weber & Calvinism

A

> Kautsky
Tawney
Parkin

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16
Q

Kautsky A03 - Calvinism

A

Capitalism already existed before Calvinism, only purpose of it was to justify ruling class domination & continue myth of divine inequality.

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17
Q

Tawney A03 - Calvinism

A

Technological changes not religious ideas led to capitalism, bourgeoisie adopted Calvinist beliefs to justify pursuit of economic gain.

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18
Q

Parkin A03 - Calvinism

A

Capitalism late to develop in Scotland despite presence of calvinism.

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19
Q

4 Factors outlined by McGuire & Robinson determining if religion is a conservative force or a force for social change

A
  1. Nature & Extent of Religious Belief
  2. Significance of Religion in Society
  3. Extent of Social Involvement of Religion
  4. Extent of Central Authority in Religious Organisations
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20
Q

Nature & Extent of Reg Belief - McGuire

A

If people hold religious beliefs, conflicting with society, religion leads to criticism of society & attempt to change it.

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21
Q

Significance of Religion in Society - McGuire

A

If religion is a central part of cultural & daily life more likely to be force for social change.

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22
Q

Extent of Social Involvement of Religion - McGuire

A

Societies with a major connection with religious leaders & politicians, likely to create social change.

23
Q

Extent of Central Authority in Religious Organisations - McGuire

A

Societies where religious organisations have strong central authority, religion is in a better position to create change.

24
Q

How are Neo-Marxist views different to Marxist views?

A

Sees how religion can be form of social change & developing class consciousness.

25
Q

How does Neo-Marxism agree with Marxist views?

A

Religion exploits working class

26
Q

Neo-Marxism & Religion Key Thinkers

A
> Engels (Disguising Inequality)
> Bloch (Principle of Hope)
> Maduro (Liberation Theology) (Radical)
> Worsley (Millenarian Movements)
> Gramsci (Hegemony)
> Billings (Religion & Class Conflict)
27
Q

Engels - Disguising Inequality (NM)

A

> Religion stops change by disguising inequality, but also challenges status quo & encourages change.

> e.g. despite senior clergy supporting status quo, lower ranks in church hierarchy have supported protests

28
Q

Bloch - Principle of Hope (Neo-Marxism)

A

> Religion has dual character, stops change but offers people idea of utopia & change for a better life

> Hope from religious belief inspires rebellion rallying people to bring a revolution, with aim of social change.

29
Q

Maduro - Liberation Theology (Radical) (Neo Marxism)

A

> Encourages people to change society in Latin America, due to exploitation faced.

> Shouldn’t rely on aid from rich countries & behave in revolutionary way.

> Need for poor to put these ideas into action (praxis) & overthrow dictatorship, bringing about democracy, not threatening capitalism.

30
Q

What is Praxis?

A

Practical action guided by theory e.g. priests raising political awareness, resisting state terror.

31
Q

Criticisms of Liberation Theology

A

Pope rejected Liberation Theology & told priests to focus on religious duties.

32
Q

Penetocostal Challenges (Conservative) alternative to Liberation Theology

A

Offers option for poor for individuals to pull themselves out of poverty, by changing their personal behaviour, in private sphere of family & church.

33
Q

Millenarian Movements (Worsley) (NeoMarxism)

A

> Based on desire to change things now, to bring kingdom of God on earth for poor

> A response to colonialism, offering immediate improvement, trailblazer for political movements overthrowing colonialism in 50s & 60s.

34
Q

What is Hegemony?

A

Ideological control ruling class have over working class.

35
Q

Gramsci on what ruling class (bourgeosie) rely on to maintain rule?

A

Ruling class rely on consent to maintain rule, institutions e.g. Church maintains consent promoting hegemony.

36
Q

Why does Gramsci believe Control isn’t inevitable?

A

> But control isn’t inevitable as working class have dual consciousness, they’re aware of exploitation & can see through ideology.

> So can create own set of ideas for social change, working class can win battle for ideas, producing own organic intellectuals

> e.g. clergy can help working class realise their situation.

37
Q

Criticisms of Gramsci - Underestimation

A

Role of controlling political forces, held back the formation of counter-hegemony (political ideas which would have helped a revolution), due to working class fear of state violence or employment

38
Q

Billings - Religion & Class Conflict (NeoMarxism)

A

> Coalminers & textile workers suffered from exploitation

> Coal miners struggled for recognition, pushing for social change due to their religious environment, but textile workers accepted the status quo.

39
Q

Briefly outline 3 Reasons why coal miners pushed for change & textile workers didn’t

A

> Leadership
Organisation
Support

40
Q

Leadership - Textile workers V Coal miners

A

Coal miners educated by organic intellectuals, learnt right from wrong pressing for equality. Textile workers lacked leadership

41
Q

Organisation - Textile workers V Coal miners

A

Coal miners could use churches to organise meetings, but textile workers lacked such spaces

42
Q

Support - Textile workers V Coal miners

A

Coal miners took part in activities e.g. hymns keeping morale high, but textile worker’s union activity was met with opposition by church leaders.

43
Q

Religion & Social Protest - Key Sociologist

A

> Bruce (American Civil Rights Movement & New Christian Right)

44
Q

Aims of American civil rights movement - Bruce

A

> Aimed to get equal rights, led by Martin Luther King using Christian values to gain unity & find common ground.

> Helped gain legitimacy & followers

45
Q

Methods used by American civil rights movement to bring change

A

Protests, marches, boycotts & demonstrations

46
Q

How did their use of Religion make American civil rights movement successful?

A

Involved in secular struggle, reaching out to sympathetic audience, embodying US constitution.

47
Q

4 Tools used by Religious Organisations during American civil rights movement to create Social Change

A

> Moral-High Ground
Channelling Dissent
Honest-Broker
Mobilising Public Opinion

48
Q

Moral-High Ground

A

> Pointing out hypocrisy of white clergy supporting segregation

> e.g. ‘’love thy neighbour didn’t fit in with racial segregation.

49
Q

Chanelling Dissent

A

Ways to express political dissent safely e.g.

Martin Luther King funeral rallying point for civil rights cause.

50
Q

Honest-Broker

A

Respected by both sides, so shared context for discussions

51
Q

Mobilising Public Opinion

A

Churches act as network spreading support for campaign.

52
Q

Aims & Beliefs of New Christian Right - Bruce

A

> Take USA back to God, before secularism & make LGBT & Abortion illegal

> Favour traditional family/gender roles, ban sex education in school & teach creationism.

53
Q

How did New Christian Right use media?

A

> Owned TV channels, raising funds & programmes aimed at recruiting new members.

> Christian pressure groups strengthened links with Republicans.

54
Q

Why was New Christian Right unsuccessful?

A

> Can’t cooperate with people from other groups e.g. Muslims even when campaigning on same issues e.g. Abortion

> Lacked widespread support strong opposition from groups favouring autonomy (people being able to choose what is right for them)