Section 6.19 Can religion be a source of social cement? [PDF]

In fact the word religion comes from the Latin religare which means 'to bind'. However, as we also know, religion has be

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Idea Transcript


Sociology AS OCR CH06

18/4/03

10:03 am

Page 292

Section 6.19 Can religion be a source

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of social cement? What does this mean?

✻ Key Idea Strongly associated with the New Right in America, the phrase ‘WASP’ stands for ‘White Anglo-Saxon Protestant’ and is used, sometimes in a negative sense, to describe white American Prostestant middle-class citizens. The phrase is significant for sociology students because it shows how a religion can be associated with a prescribed way of living. The New Right places great emphasis on individual freedom (presumably the freedom to choose whatever religious beliefs you desire) but also on Christian norms and values as the ‘cement’ that should bind societies together. This is a contradiction which you can highlight in the exam.

The Palestinian question: can Judaism and Islam ‘cement’ the state of Israel?

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This section asks you to examine to what extent religion acts as a unifying force on society, i.e. how (if at all) does it bring about ‘social cohesion’? In fact the word religion comes from the Latin religare which means ‘to bind’. However, as we also know, religion has been used as an excuse for conflict both in the past and sadly in the present. In the exam you must be able to offer a balanced argument that offers evidence on both sides.

How does theory help answer this? •

Functionalists argue that religion forms part of the social ‘cement’ that binds the structure of society together. The strong moral codes of behaviour that religions offer provide the norms and values of society through religious traditions and ceremonies. We develop a strong sense of social obligation around us through collective worship.



When social cohesion is threatened, religion can be used to help bind societies in times of danger or insecurity. We know that from the work of functionalist Malinowski (1954) that the Trobriand Islanders used religious rituals before fishing in the dangerous open waters but did not do so in calm water.



We can apply the ideas of Weber by arguing religion cements groups together by providing meaning to individuals through collective forms of practice and worship. Whether such forms of practice are shared through orthodox religions such as Christianity or Judaism or through ‘civic religions’ such as ‘Americanism’ is not important. Weber argued that the values of Calvinism provided the consensus needed for successful capitalist economies to work.

Karma and dharma The Hindu religion offers an example of how religion cements society together. The highly stratified (and often criticised) Hindu system referred to as ‘caste’ means that the social position you are born into often becomes the one you remain in, through marriage, work and childbirth. The religious concepts of Kharma and Dharma help explain how such a system remains unified. Kharma (‘fate’) is the acceptance that whatever existence you have is either reward or punishment for behaviour in a previous life. Dharma

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Sociology AS for OCR

Sociology AS OCR CH06

18/4/03

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Page 293

click for info (‘acceptance’) is the belief that the more virtuous you are in this life, the better your next one will be. The belief in these two concepts cements this socially stratified system.

How do sociological variables help answer this debate? If we take three such variables, namely class, gender and sexuality, then the issue of religion cementing society together becomes immediately more complicated. •

Marxists would certainly question to what extent working-class and aristocratic families ‘worship’ their religions in the same way. Does the church really ‘cement’ these groups together with the same sets of shared values that some functionalists claim exist?



Feminists would question to what extent religion cemented men and women together. They would consider issues surrounding abortion, female sexuality and employment within religious organizations and freedom for women generally. Many feminists argue that most religions have been highly oppressive on these issues.



Finally, to be gay or lesbian is still viewed by many religions as ‘deviant’.

It would seem therefore that the social cement does not necessarily stick to all groups all of the time. click for info

Conclusion In some cases religion is used as an excuse by governments and people to engage in conflict. Some sociologists argue that we draw our sense of identity from the culture we live in. In some cases, where national identity is concerned, religion is a core part of that culture, e.g. being Irish can also mean being Catholic or Protestant or Yugoslavian can also mean being Muslim or Eastern Orthodox Christian. However, sometimes purely looking at religious reasons for conflict is far too simplistic (e.g. the Israeli/Palestinian conflict which is as much to do with conflict over land and resources as it is with religious beliefs).

◆ What, When and Why? The division of Ireland into two separate jurisdictions took place at the beginning of the 20th century because of the differences between Protestant and especially nonconformist Protestant Irish (often of Scottish descent) largely grouped in the North, and the Roman Catholic majority mainly grouped in the South. This division has caused intense conflict between the two religions in Northern Ireland ever since.

✻ Key Idea The idea that religion can be ‘social cement’ can be challenged by using the example of former Yugoslavia, a country torn apart by civil war during the 1990s, which was composed of Serbian, Croatian, Albanian and Bosnian ethnic groupings. These different religious traditions were a source of social conflict rather than ‘cement’. Serb identity is mainly made up of Eastern Orthodox Christianity; Croatian from Roman Catholic Christianity; Albanian from the Islamic tradition; and Bosnian also from the Islamic tradition. Yugoslavia collapsed partly as a result of the conflict between these traditions.

For consideration: 1 What examples can you offer to back up the argument that religion does act as social cement? 2 What examples other than the ones in this section challenge this view?

Religion

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