Introduction to Sociology:Religion

Siniša ZrinščakJanuary 12, 2016

sinisa.zrinscak@pravo.hr http://www.sinisazrinscak.com/

Sociology and religion• What to study and how? From institution to very

personal feelings? Different religions in the same way?

• Marx – religion as an illusion – religion as a reflection of alienation in a world / market – religion help to accept / justify unequal world, social and economic injustice

• Weber – religion as an agent of change (how religion stimulated capitalism)

• - religion as a way of explaining why people suffer and die (theodicy)

• - rational character of modern world = disenchantment of the world

• Durkheim – religion as a basis of the collective conscience, as a basis of social – integrative function

• Basic (universal) function to be found in the simplest form – Australian aboriginals… sacred and profane

• … Two broad definitions…

• Substantive definitions – what religion is, common content of all religions?

• “belief in spiritual beings” “in divine beings”, “supra empirical”...– what about practice, Eastern religions...?

• P. Berger: “human production of a sacred cosmos” - concept of “sacred”

• Need for broader definitions, problems of operationalization in different social and cultural contexts

• Functional definitions – what religion does• M. Yinger: “a system of beliefs and practices by

means of which a group of people struggles with the ultimate problems of human life” – functions: creating meaning, empowerment, courage, integration...

• Not ethnocentric! But: other social phenomenon can have same consequences...

• Durkheim: “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices which unite into one singles moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them”

• “sacred” + “integration”

• Definition – just and academic issue? Definition and Church-state relations – e.g. which religion to be recognized / supported / tolerated….

What religion is today?

• Secularization theory – the most influential and the most debated

• Modernization, rationalization, functional differentiation, pluralization + privatization

• K. Dobbelaere: secularization at three levels• - societal (laicization due to differentiation)• - organizational (adaptation to secular values or

sacralization, NRMs...)• - individual (privatized, individual, “bricolage”,

“patchwork”...)

• Relations between levels – mechanical, or? Influence of actors, and other processes...

• But: secular Europe and religious America• A global outlook?• Sociological debates: from “civil religion” to “public

religions” „global religions”…in a modern world• R. Bellah: civil religion = “a set of religious beliefs,

symbols and rituals growing out of the American historical experience interpreted in the dimension of transcendence” – legitimation of the American past and present

• A common set of principles, a common religious basis for moral order?

• Beliefs, practices, and symbols that a nations hold sacred (Yamane)

• But, religion and nation – e.g. use (or misuse?) of religion in wars in fr. Yugoslavia – from overlapping of ethnic and religious identity to destruction of “inimical” religious objects

• Casanova – religion is not privatized but visible and influential in a public arena

• Revised secularization theory = functional differentiation – structural trend; : privatization and declining of religion - just historical options

• Market theory – demand and supply – religious demands – and religious institutions which offer goods and services

• Two premises: rational choice (people as rational beings), and constant religious demands

• Consequences: pluralization (more and competitive offers: more religious)

• (If) adequate for US, adequate for other contexts?

• Religion and globalization – from religious America / secular Europe to global look – what about the world in general?

• From „religion and globalization” to „global religions”:

• - migration• - spread of religions through missions, use of new

technologies• - religion and social processes in a world

Religion in empirical research

• Three major components: beliefs, rituals, experience• Dimensions – as researched in the EVS:• - belief• - experience (“subjective religiosity”)• - practice (+ public role)• -consequential dimension• Knowledge (not in the EVS)• Differences among dimensions – why and how to

interpret?• Possible concepts – believing without belonging,

belonging without believeing, believing in belonging..

EVS- VWS dataCountry Belonging Religious persons Practice – at least once

a month  1999.-2001. Change

2008.1999.-2001. Change

2008.1999.-2001. Change

2008.Austria 88,1 -5,3 75,0 -14,3 42,5 -14,4Croatia 88,7 -4,5 79,9 -0,9 52,5 -9,9Czech R. 33,7 -5,8 40,4 -9,1 11,7 +1,1Finland 88,1 -12,4 61,6 -12,6 14,0 -4,0France 57,5 -6,5 44,4 -1,8 11,9 +0,6Greece 96,0 +0,9 74,8 +11,9 33,5 +9,9Hungary 57,1 -3,8 57,6 -5,2 17,6 -3,0Italy 82,2 -3,0 83,2 -1,7 53,7 -6,1Poland 95,7 -1,5 91,8 -8,2 78,2 -8,4Portugal 89,0 -2,1 85,4 -3,9 51,2 -3,7Rusian F. 50,5 +12,5 60,1 +11.1 9,1 +5,3Slovakia 76,8 +3,0 76,7 +0,3 49,8 -1,5Slovenia 70,0 +1,0 64,6 +3,0 30,7 -4,8

EVS 2008NL SK PL ES GB

Belongig to rel denomin

52,6 79,8 94,2 75,6 57,8

Attendance, at least once a month

26,3 48,3 69,8 25,5 20,1

Believing in God

58,2 77,7 94,5 74,5 43,3

Religious person

63,5 77 83,6 54,4 46,5

Spiritual – very + somewhat

60,6 52 50,1 49,8 51,2

Importance of God, 7-10

38,1 58,8 76 45,1 34,9

EVS - Croatia, 2008

0102030405060708090

Belonging

Religiosity

Belief in God

Life after death

Regular participation Trust in church

Adequate - moral issues

Adequate - social issues

1999 and 2008

0102030405060708090

100

Belonging

Religiosity

Belief in God

Life after death

Regular participation

Trust in church

Adequate -moral issues

Adequate -social issues

1999

2008