Patterns of Religiosity - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Patterns of Religiosity

Age, Social Class & EthnicitySlide2

Recap

Religiosity

The

importance of religion in somebody’s life.

We can use the term to describe how religious a person, group or a society is e.g. We can talk about the

religiosity of the contemporary UK.Slide3

Factors in Religiosity: Pairs

In

pairs, draw a

mind-map

or compile a

list

describing a minimum of

six

factors that might influence how religious a person is likely to be.

You need to be able to briefly

justify

each one.

(5

mins

)Slide4

Explanations for increased religiosity of some groups:

Members

of

deprived

groups tend to be more religious due to promises of salvation in the next life, if not the present one.

(Weber; 1920)

Religion helps

bond

new communities – particularly those under threat. Provides shared norms and values, expressed through rituals which unite people as a distinct social group. (Durkheim; 1912)

Which groups might this particularly apply to?Slide5

Discuss/Recap

How do we measure how religious someone is?

What are some potential problems with trying to measure religiosity?Slide6

1. Religiosity & AGE

What does the graph above show?

What questions do you need to ask about the statistics?Slide7

Learning Objectives

Confidently identify and describe at least two of the following explanations for patterns of religiosity by age:

Patterns of migration.

The influence of parents.

Faith and home schooling.

Coping strategy.Slide8

Religiosity & Age

KEY POINT:

In the contemporary UK, young people are less religious than older people across

all

religious movements...

...apart from Islam, which has a relatively strong youth following.

Discuss: What do we mean by a ‘young person’? At what age does ‘youth’ begin and end?Slide9

National Statistics Online

23%

of 16-34 year olds in the UK claim to have no religion, versus just

5%

of those 65

+.

Remember, however, that

belonging

and believing are not the same thing (Davie; 1994)Specific religions may have a younger age profile.Slide10

Homework

Read the study on

Children & Religious Belief

by the JRF (link is on the NC Sociology website).

Write a summary (200 words) of what this research showed on children, religion and belonging.

Due:

Next LessonSlide11

Patterns of Migration

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/may/16/uk-census-religion-age-ethnicity-country-of-birth

Religiosity can be linked to

patterns

and

periods of migration

.

In the UK, Christians and Jewish people tend to be white and resident in the UK since before World War 2 – thus they have an

older age profile.Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims tend to have a slightly younger age profile, due to more recent migration.

Within the UK, religiosity lessens with every generation.

This can be used in a question on

ethnicity

as well as a question on

age

…

For homework, please familiarise yourself with the data in the above link!Slide12

Inheriting Religion

(Voas; 2005)

The chances of a child adopting religious beliefs and practices is directly related to the religiosity of its parents.

Both parents religions =

5 out of 10 children adopt religious beliefs

One parent religious =

2.5 out of 10 children adopt religious beliefs

Neither parent religious = Less that 1 in 10 children adopt religious beliefs However, religious parents tend to have more children than non-religious parents.Slide13

Religion & Schooling

The type of school a child attends may also impact

their

religious beliefs.

School is the place in which children tend to meet children of other faiths and will learn about a variety of religious in RE classes etc.

Discuss: How might Home Schooling and Faith Schools impact a child’s religious beliefs?Slide14

Religiosity & Old Age

Most evidence suggests that the older generation are more

spiritual

than the younger generations.

McKingsley

(2001)

identified that religion was used as

coping strategy

by those aged 85+.However, religion is declining in the UK amongst all age categories.Slide15

2. Religiosity & EthnicitySlide16

Learning Objectives

Confidently identify and describe two of the following explanations for patterns of religiosity by

ethnicity:

Single faith schools

Empowerment by difference

Othering

Control, independence and hope to vulnerable communities

Present a profile of one of the UK’s major religious groupsSlide17

Religiosity & Ethnicity

KEY POINT:

In the contemporary UK, ethnic minorities tend to be more religious than members of the ‘dominant’ ethnic group.Slide18

Small Group Research

Sikh – Muslim – Hindu – Christian – Jew

In groups, select

one

of the above and find out:

How many are practising in UK

?

What is their age profile?

Types of religious buildings they practice in, and how many such buildings there are in the UK?How and when did they arrive in the UK?Some specific details about their faiths/beliefs/traditions?Slide19

Generational Decline in Religiosity

Modood

(1994)

The

importance of religion is declining

in all ethnic groups (within the UK).

Many of those who remain religious are demanding more flexible readings of scriptures/traditions.

Fewer

Second Generation respondents regularly attend temples/churches etc.Slide20

Single-Faith Schools

It is argued that faith schools are a response to

secularization.

Faith schools can strengthen religious commitment and ethnic identity.

In pairs

, list at least five positive and five negative points about the existence of faith schools within the contemporary

UK (5

mins

)Slide21

Religion vs. Racism

Johal (1988)

argued that many British Asians uphold the religious and cultural practices of their parents as a way of strengthening their identity and resisting racism.

Johal

refers to this as an

empowerment through difference.

Discuss: What do you think ‘empowerment through difference’ means? How is

Johal’s

study contradicted by Modood’s work?Slide22

Religion, Ethnicity & Cultural Conflict

Dominant cultures are often hostile to minority cultures, believing they should

assimilate

. In the UK, some are seen as refusing to assimilate

due to particular religious practices or beliefs e.g.

Arranged marriages

Refusal of Sikhs to wear motorcycle helmets

Growth in number of mosques etc.Slide23

Muslims in the UK

33% of British Muslims are under 15 and 50% are under 25

.

The youngest age profile for any UK religion.

Islam is an important

source

of identity

for young Pakistanis

(Jacobson; 1998)Young British Muslims are moving from an ethnic identity to a religious identity (

Samad; 2006)Slide24

Muslims in the UK

Akhtar

(2005)

Muslims have been

othered

in the West.

Religion offers young Muslims

belonging and solidarity

.Religion also provides political mobilisation: Radical groups have turned this to their advantage.Slide25

Black Pentecostalism

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/pentecostal_1.shtml

In the UK, Pentecostalism is very strong among black communities and is the fastest growing Christian movement.

Beckford (2000)

believes it offers control to those who feel they lack power.

It gives people a sense of independence and hope.

It also portrays wealth positively and

as something to aspire to.

The link at the top of the page will give you more info on

pentecostalismSlide26

Glossary Check: Which of the following can you define?

Assimilate

Cultural

Hybridity

Empowerment

Halal

Food

Islamaphobia

OtheringReligious IdentityPentecostalismSlide27

Written Task

Identify and explain two reasons why some ethnic groups are more religious than others in the contemporary UK [17]

15

minsSlide28

3. Religiosity & social class Slide29

Learning Objectives

Confidently identify and describe two of the following explanations for patterns of religiosity by

social class:

Appeal of different types of religious organisation

Relative deprivation

Believing without belongingSlide30

Religiosity & Social Class

KEY POINT:

In the contemporary UK, the middle classes tend to be more religious than the working classes.

Note: In a question on Social Class, you are encouraged to refer to Marxist ideas…although this key point does directly contradict them!Slide31

Social Class – Church, Sect, cult & Denomination

Churches

traditionally appeal to the

upper classes

, due to their close links to the State.

Denominations

– predominantly appeal to the

middle classes

, due to their conservative nature (though they do have members from all classes).Sects & Cults – Weber would argue they appeal most to the working class, as they tend to attract marginalised people. However, it depends entirely on the sect/cult

(though every sect/cult seems to contain only one social class).Slide32

Relative Deprivation & Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism often attracts members of the

middle classes.

People remember times when their communities were stronger, and they blame

modernity

and Western

consumerism

for the breakdown of those communities. Though they are well-off, they feel

relatively deprived e.g. in some ways, they were better off before. Hence, religious fundamentalism seems attractive (Bruce; 2002)Slide33

Class & Religious Belief

The working class are less likely to attend church than the middle class...

...However, this might not mean they do not have religious beliefs.

Davie (1994)

claimed the working class were more likely to

believe without belonging

.

Most

New Age movements tend to attract the middle classes; people who have money are more likely to look for other ways of fulfilment. Different types of NRM attract different social classes.Slide34

Homework

Revise this section of the unit in preparation for a Progress Test next lesson!

Check all

moodle

resources

Check the NC Sociology website for resources, tasks and updates