Topic 1 - Theories of religion - Functionalist theories of religion
- Created by: sophie98campbell
- Created on: 18-04-17 18:26
Durkheim - Sacred + profane
Key feature of religion - fundamental distinction between sacred + profane.
Sacred - things set apart + forbidden, inspire feelings of awe, fear + wonder, + surrounded by taboos + prohibitions.
Profane - things that have no special significance - ordinary + mundane.
Religion never simply set of beliefs, also involves rituals/practices in relation to sacred - rituals collective.
Feelings evoked by sacred suggests b/c they're symbols representing smth of great power. In D's view, this thing can only be society itself, as only thing powerful enough to command these feelings. When worshipping sacred symbols, worshipping society itself.
Sacred symbols vary between religions but perform same function of uniting believers.
Durkheim - Totemism
Studies Aboriginal Australian tribe w/ clan system - religion + society at most basic.
Come together occassionally to perform rituals - worship totem, which is a symbol of the clan's identity + origins. Shared totemic rituals serve to reinforce group's solidarity + sense of belonging.
For D, when clan members worship totemic animal, in reality worshipping society, even though they're not aware of it. Totem inspires awe in clan members b/c it prepresents power of group, which they're dependent on.
Durkheim - Collective conscience
D's view, sacred symbols represent society's collective conscious - shared norms, values + beliefs that make social life + cooperation possibe. W/o, society would disintegrate.
For D, regualr religious rituals reinforce collective conscience + maintain social integration. Participating in shared rituals binds people together. Also remind people of power of society - owe everything to it.
In sense, also performs function for individual - makes them feel aprt of something greater than themselves, strengthens them to face life's trials.
Durkheim - Cognitive functions of religion
D says religion also source of our intellectual/cognitive capacity (ability to reason + think conceptually).
In D's view, religion the origin of concepts + categories we need for reasoning, understanding the world + communicating.
In their book Primitive Classification, Durkheim + Mauss (1903;2009) argue religion provides basic categories eg time, space + causation. Similarly, division of tribes into clans gives humans their first notion of classification. For D, religion the origin of human thought, reason + science.
Durkheim - Criticisms
Evidence of totemism unsound. Worsley (1956) - no sharp evidence between sacred + profane, + that different clans can share same totems. Even if D right about tomeism, doesn't prove he's discovered essence of all other religions.
His theory may apply better to small-scale societies w/ single religion - harder to apply to large-scale societies where 2+ religious communities may be in conflict. His theory may ecplain social integration w/in communities, but not the conflicts between them.
Psych functions - Malinowski (1954)
2 types of situation where religions performs psych functions to help cope w/ stress that would undermine social solidarity:
1) where outcome important but uncontrollable:
- lagoon fishing - safe, uses predictable + successful poisoning. No ritual
- ocean fishing - dangerous + uncertain, 'canoe magic'. Gives sense of control, eases tension, gives confidence, reinforces group solidarity. Fills in gaps in control.
2) at times of life crises - helps minimise disruption eg funeral rituals.
Parsons (1967): Values + meaning
Sees religion helping to cope w/ unforeseen events + uncontrollable outcomes. 2 other essential functions:
- creates + legitimates central values - sacrilises them. Promotes value consensus + social stability
- primary source of meaning - answers 'ultimate' questions eg why good suffer. Enables people to adjust to adverse events, helps maintain stability.
Civil religion: Bellah (1991;2013)
Argues civil religion integrates society in way America's diff churches + denoms can't. Can claim loyalty of all Americans.
Expressed in rituals, symbols + beliefs eg pledge of allegiance. Sacralises American way of life, binds together from diff b/gs.
Civil religion: Functional alternatives
Non-religious beliefs + practices perform functions similar to organised religion eg maintaining social cohesion. Eg America civil religion - belief in God, Bellah argues doesn't have to be case. Other belief system could perform same functions eg Nazi Germany, secular political beliefs + rituals around sought to unite societ.
Problem - same as functional definitions. Ignores what makes religion distinctive + diff - belief in supernatural
Eval of functionalism
F emphasises social nature of religion + pos functions, neglects neg aspect, eg source of oppression of poor/women.
Ignores religion as source of division + conflict, especially in complex modern societies where more than one religion.
Idea of civil religion overcomes problem to some extent, argues societies still have overarching belief system shared by all, but not really religion.
Related discussions on The Student Room
- AQA A Level Sociology Paper 2 (7192/2) - 9th June [Exam Chat] »
- AQA A Level Sociology Paper 3 7192/3 - 13 Jun 2022 [Exam Chat] »
- how do you get full marks in 20 mark aqa sociology question a level sociology »
- OCR Sociology Paper 3 Predictions »
- Sociology Help Thread »
- UK professor suffered discrimination due to anti-Zionist beliefs, tribunal rules »
- A-level Sociology Study Group 2022-2023 »
- Breakdown sociology aqa paper 2 2022 »
- are you religious? Wh? Why not? What do you follow? »
- Edexcel A-level Religious Studies Paper 1 (9RS0 01) - 12th June 2023 [Exam Chat] »
Comments
No comments have yet been made