Religion and Social Change (9A) - Psych & Soc
- What is Émile Durkheim's main function of religion in society?
- Creates social cohesion through shared sacred rituals and norms. Durkheim viewed religion as reinforcing group solidarity by symbolizing collective values through communal practices.
- What is secularization theory?
- Modernization reduces religion's social authority and influence. Secularization theory argues that industrial and scientific progress diminishes religion's role in public life and institutions.
- What is Max Weber's core claim in The Protestant Ethic?
- Protestant values helped foster capitalist work discipline. Weber linked Protestant asceticism, particularly Calvinism, to the rational pursuit of economic success in capitalism.
- What is fundamentalism in the study of religion?
- Strict literalism and resistance to modern or secular change. Fundamentalism seeks to preserve traditional doctrines against perceived threats from modernity and secularism.
- Which concept describes religion reinforcing traditional gender roles and patriarchy?
- Religion as a mechanism of social control. Religion enforces norms by prescribing roles, thereby perpetuating patriarchal structures in many societies.
- What is liberation theology in the context of religion and social change?
- Religious framework emphasizing justice and liberation of the oppressed. Emerged in Latin America, linking faith to political action against poverty.
- What is the sociological definition of religion as a social institution?
- A system of beliefs and practices about the sacred that unites a community. Durkheim emphasized religion's role in creating collective consciousness.
- Identify the concept: religion motivates political action to change laws and norms.
- Religion as a catalyst for social movements. Religious values inspire reform movements challenging unjust systems.
- What is a religious sect (as contrasted with a church) in sociology?
- A smaller, stricter group that often forms in protest of a larger religion. High commitment groups with exclusive membership criteria.
- What is a religious institution in sociology?
- Organized system of beliefs and practices meeting social needs. Religious institutions provide structure for collective worship and fulfill functions like social integration and moral guidance.
- What is religious fundamentalism in sociological usage?
- Strict, literal adherence to sacred texts and traditional doctrine. Reaction against modernization, seeking return to unchanging religious truths.
- What is Durkheim's functionalist view of religion's role in society?
- Religion promotes social cohesion through shared beliefs and rituals. Sacred symbols represent collective conscience, binding society together.
- What is a cult or new religious movement (NRM) in sociology?
- Loosely organized group with novel or nontraditional beliefs. NRMs introduce innovative doctrines and attract followers seeking alternatives to conventional religions.
- What is religiosity in sociological research?
- Degree of religious belief, practice, and involvement. Religiosity quantifies the intensity of religious commitment through measurable indicators like attendance and personal devotion.
- What is Weber's "Protestant ethic" thesis about capitalism?
- Protestant values helped legitimize disciplined work and capital accumulation. Calvinist beliefs fostered economic rationality and wealth as divine favor.
- What is religious pluralism and why does it matter for social change?
- Coexistence of multiple faiths; increases intergroup contact and tolerance. Diversity challenges religious monopolies and promotes dialogue.
- What is the sociological definition of religiosity?
- Degree of religious belief, practice, and involvement. Measures individual commitment through beliefs, rituals, and community participation.
- What is Weber's key idea about religion and social change in capitalism?
- Religious values can motivate economic behavior and institutional change. Protestant ethics facilitated capitalism's development.
- What is a New Religious Movement (NRM)?
- A relatively new religious group outside established religious traditions. Often labeled cults; emerge during social upheaval.
- What is religious fundamentalism as a response to social change?
- Strict, literal adherence to doctrine, often resisting modernity. Reaction against secularization and modernization trends.
- What is religious pluralism?
- Coexistence of multiple religions within the same society. Increases religious diversity and competition among faiths.
- What is a civil religion in sociological terms?
- Shared national beliefs and rituals treated as sacred in public life. Bellah's concept of quasi-religious patriotic practices.
- Which concept describes religion providing meaning during rapid social disruption?
- Religion as a source of social integration and meaning-making. Religion provides stability during anomie and transition.
- Identify the theory: religion is used by elites to justify stratification and limit dissent.
- Conflict theory (Marx). Views religion as tool of oppression by ruling class.
- What is religious pluralism?
- Coexistence of multiple religions within one society. Religious pluralism reflects societal tolerance allowing diverse faiths to thrive without dominance by one group.
- What is the social gospel movement (conceptually)?
- Religious activism aimed at reforming social and economic ills. The social gospel applies Christian ethics to address poverty, inequality, and labor issues through reform efforts.
- Identify the concept: a society becomes more diverse in beliefs, and no single faith dominates.
- Religious pluralism. Multiple faiths compete without state preference.
- What is liberation theology?
- Religious framework emphasizing social justice and liberation of the oppressed. Originated in Latin America, linking faith to political action.
- What is religious socialization?
- Process of learning religious beliefs, values, and practices. Religious socialization transmits faith through family, education, and community, shaping individual worldview.
- What is secularization in the study of religion and social change?
- Declining social significance of religion in institutions and daily life. Process where religious authority decreases in public spheres.
- What is the definition of a theodicy in sociology of religion?
- A religious explanation for why suffering and evil exist. Addresses the problem of evil in religious worldviews.
- What is the social gospel movement best defined as?
- Religious activism applying ethics to social problems and inequality. Progressive Christianity addressing poverty, labor rights, and social reform.
- What is the core claim of Durkheim's functionalist theory of religion?
- Religion promotes social cohesion by reinforcing shared norms and solidarity. Sacred rituals create collective effervescence and unity.
- What is religious syncretism?
- Blending elements from different religions into a new system. Syncretism occurs when cultural exchanges lead to hybrid religious forms adapting to new contexts.
- Which term describes religious influence shifting from institutions to private life?
- Privatization of religion. Religion moves from public institutions to personal belief systems.
- What is secularization in sociology of religion?
- Declining social significance of religion in institutions and daily life. Process where religion loses influence over public institutions and personal behavior.
- Identify the theory: religion primarily functions to maintain social order and solidarity.
- Functionalism (Durkheim). Views religion as promoting social stability.
- What is theodicy in sociology of religion?
- Religious explanation that justifies suffering and injustice. Theodicy provides meaning to adversity by aligning it with divine purpose, thus maintaining faith amid hardship.
- What is the core claim of Marx's conflict theory of religion?
- Religion legitimizes inequality and reduces class conflict ("opiate" effect). Religion distracts workers from revolutionary consciousness.
- What is Karl Marx's central critique of religion?
- Religion legitimizes inequality and can reduce class resistance. Marx saw religion as an ideological tool that pacifies the masses by promising otherworldly rewards for earthly suffering.
- What is civil religion?
- Sacred beliefs and rituals tied to national identity and state. Civil religion fosters national unity by sacralizing civic symbols and values independent of specific faiths.
- Which term describes religion being used to justify racial, gender, or class hierarchies?
- Religious legitimation of social stratification. Divine sanction used to naturalize inequality as God's will.
- What is the key distinction between the sacred and the profane in sociology?
- Sacred is set apart and revered; profane is ordinary and everyday. Durkheim's fundamental distinction between religious and non-religious realms.
- What is the term for religion reinforcing group solidarity via collective rituals?
- Collective effervescence. Durkheim's term for intense shared emotion during religious gatherings.
- What is the Protestant work ethic in Weber's analysis?
- Norm valuing hard work, discipline, and frugality as moral virtues. Calvinist beliefs linking worldly success to salvation.
- What is denominationalism?
- Multiple accepted denominations coexist within one religion. Denominationalism allows for diversity within a faith tradition, promoting coexistence without hierarchical dominance.
- What is the sacred–profane distinction (Durkheim)?
- Sacred is set apart and revered; profane is ordinary daily life. Durkheim's distinction separates the transcendent, awe-inspiring realm from the mundane, forming the basis of religious experience.
- Which concept best fits: religious groups oppose change to preserve existing norms?
- Religion as a conservative force maintaining the status quo. Traditional beliefs resist modernization and social transformation.
- What is a church (as a religious organization type)?
- Large, bureaucratic religion integrated with mainstream society. Churches represent established, inclusive organizations that align with societal values and maintain broad membership.
- Identify the concept: religious leaders mobilize members to protest unjust laws.
- Religion as a catalyst for social change. Religion inspires collective action by framing injustice in moral terms, driving movements for reform.
- What is religious conversion in sociological terms?
- Adoption of a new religious identity, beliefs, and practices. Conversion involves a transformative shift, often influenced by social networks and personal crises.
- What is the key difference between a church and a sect in sociology?
- Church: large/integrated; sect: small/exclusive and higher tension. Churches accommodate society; sects reject worldly compromises.
- What is a sect (as a religious organization type)?
- Smaller, exclusive group that rejects mainstream norms. Sects emerge from dissatisfaction with larger bodies, emphasizing purity and often existing in tension with society.
- What is Marx's conflict theory view of religion's social function?
- Religion can legitimize inequality and reduce impetus for revolution. "Opium of the people" - dulls awareness of exploitation.
- Identify the concept: a state uses religious symbolism in patriotic rituals to unify citizens.
- Civil religion. Sacred symbols legitimize political authority.
- Identify the concept: religious norms guide behavior through rewards and sanctions.
- Religion as social control (norm enforcement). Religious systems use doctrines of heaven, hell, or karma to encourage conformity and deter deviance.
- What is collective effervescence (Durkheim) in religious context?
- Heightened shared emotion during rituals that bonds the group. Collective effervescence generates social energy in rituals, strengthening community ties and collective identity.
- What is a religious sect (as distinct from a denomination)?
- Smaller breakaway group in tension with mainstream society. Often formed through schism, maintaining stricter beliefs than parent organization.
- What is civil religion in sociological terms?
- Shared national beliefs and rituals that function like religion. Sacred symbols and practices that unite citizens beyond specific denominations.
- What is religious syncretism?
- Blending of elements from different religions into a new practice. Creates hybrid traditions through cultural contact and exchange.
- What is liberation theology?
- Religious framework emphasizing social justice for the oppressed. Liberation theology interprets religious teachings to advocate for the poor and challenge systemic oppression.
- Which option best fits: a small breakaway group forms after claiming the main church is too worldly?
- Sect. Sects form through schism, criticizing established churches for compromising core principles with secular influences.