Key Thinkers Flashcards
(44 cards)
Durkheim (1895)
FUNCTIONALIST ÷ between sacred vs profane Promotes v consensus, social solidarity, collective conscience Totemism - Australian Aborigines Symbolically worship S
Malinowski
FUNCTIONALIST Ethnography = response to psychological needs of S Times of uncertainty Coping mechanism Gives members sense of control
Parsons (1950s)
FUNCTIONALIST
Uses D’s + M’s ideas
Gives individuals sense of meaning
Mechanism of adjustment after social tragedies
Bellah (1967)
NEO-FUNCTIONALIST
How = v consensus in USA (multi-faith)?
Civil religion
Collective rituals
Marx (1884)
1ST CRITICAL VIEW OF REL Maintains class ÷ 2 ideological functions Instrument of oppression Cushion effects of oppression THEODICY OF DISPRIVILEGE Opium of the people Prevents revolution
Lenin
USE AFTER MARX
Spiritual gin
= way to escape + numb effects of capitalism
Gramsci
NEO-MARXIST
Beliefs = no less important that economic forces
Hegemony - rc dominate minds of proletariat
Rel = used for maintaining control
CAN be used to challenge dominant rc ideology
Maduro
NEO-MARXIST
Builds on Gramsci (puts ides into practice)
Developing countries where church = dominant, religion has power to create social change
e.g. Latin America
Althusser
NEO-MARXIST
ISAs
RSAs (repressive)
CAN create social change but needs to get past RSAa
Woodhead
Lack of W in hierarchy if church reflects religions general rejection of liberation of W
Some religions provide W with role + status in family
Give purpose + role in life
Walby
W’s denial of power = reflected in religious teachings
Encourages housewife role
e.g. Virgin Mary = role model
Woodhead + Heelas
Many W converted to Orthodox Judaism
- given clear role to fulfil
- removed conflicting roles placed in modern life
Aldridge
Islam = patriarchal
Veiling - powerful symbol
Strips W of ID
Leaves W invisible + forces anonymity
Watson
Aldridge = ethnocentric
Veil = symbol of liberation
Enter pubic sphere + avoid male gaze
Hervieu-Leger
POSTMODERNISM Rel participation = changed Decline in traditional institutions Rel = personal choice 'Spiritual shoppers', consumers of choice Pick and Mix to fit ID No longer source of collective ID BUT does continue to have influence
Lyon
POSTMODERNISM
Agrees with Hervieu-Leger
Rel = commodity, consumers of rel
Globalisation = increased choice (res can cross national boundaries)
Relocation of rel - disembodied from ‘real life’
Can be experienced via internet/ media
Rel Harvest Day Crusade (Disneyland)
Bauman
POSTMODERNISM
Individuals are still drawn to rel
Postmodernity = led to ‘crisis of meaning’
No longer stable sense of morality/ universal truths
Fragmentation = decline in collective values
People turn to religion for moral guidelines
Weber
Founding father
INTERPRETIVIST
1st suggest studying S in MICRO way
Verstehen, should empathise
Individs attach meaning to beliefs/ practices
Calvinism, 3 beliefs - led to development C
Calvinist rel, gave individual framework to attach their meanings to actions
ID churches in traditional typologies
Berger
INTERPRETIVIST
Rel helps individuals find meaning in meaningless world
‘Universe of meaning’ - answers life Qs
‘Sacred canopy’ - stretches over S + protects individuals from uncertainties
Without re, life = meaningless for many
Nelson
Rel can spearhead resistance + revolution
e.g. Archbishop Tutu’s (apartheid)
McGuire
Can lead to social change BUT only in right conditions Recognises not all religions/ Ss = same 4 key factors 1. Beliefs + practices 2. Culture 3. Organisations Rship to S 4. Presence of centralised authority
Wilson
social change + sects
Modern day S = subjected rapid social change
Leds to uncertainty + anomie due lack of shared values
As result people turn to rel organisations (e.g. sects, have strict rules)
Troeltsch (1931)
Describes difference between sects + churches - different organisations
Led to identification of cults
(traditional typology)
Niebuhr (1925)
Introduced denominations
Inbetween churches + sects
(traditional typology)
Sects = short lived (3 - members, generation, death/ denomination)
