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Summary Contemporary society
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Aqa a level sociology beliefs in society summary notes for contemporary society.
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Religion online Existential security theory Secularisation cycles1. Religion online: Norris and Inglehart believe that Americans Instead, Stark and Bainbridge believe that religious
belief tends to flow through cycles, known as
o When established religious movements use are more likely to be genuinely religious than
secularisation cycles where periods of secularisation
European nations like the UK. They suggest
the internet to communicate messages to are only temporary before religious revivals occur
that Americans have less support from the
their followers. due to the creation of new religious and New Age
welfare state and lack access to effective free
movements.
Online religion health care which may make them feel less
secure in their chances for survival. Fundamentalism
2. Online religion:
Norris and Inglehart Another argument against the view that religion
o Where like-minded people can interact in is losing its influence is the rise of religious
forums to discuss their beliefs in an fundamentalism.
Therefore American citizens may have more
unstructured format.
need for religion than their European
Fundamentalism
o They may create online communities that counterparts who benefit from more
do not exist in the real world. substantial and generous welfare systems.
Fundamentalism refers to the process of returning to
the basics of a religion and the belief in absolute
Secularisation in the US Religious market theory truth. There are a range of elements of religious
Hadaway et al. and Bruce argue that fundamentalism:
Stark and Bainbridge suggest that people
secularisation is occurring in America.
are naturally religious and therefore there will o They tend to believe in the exact
Secularisation in the US always be a demand for some form of wording of the sacred texts and will
religion. They also believe that all humans often cite quotations to justify their
40% of Americans claim they attend want big rewards for the smallest costs, so actions and beliefs.
church. However, Hadaway et al. found that humans will make rational decisions about o Usually sects.
this is not the case. Instead they found that what benefits them the most.
whilst many people stated they went Elements of religious fundamentalism
to church, churches had much lower Stark and Bainbridge
There are a range of elements of religious
attendances than expected. fundamentalism:
Religion is unique because it can continue to
Secularisation from within provide supernatural rewards for people that
o They have a world rejecting stance
other institutions cannot. Believing in religion
Bruce argues that religion in America has and often isolate themselves from
has a small cost and barely any risk, yet it
become ‘secularised from within’. He argues mainstream society.
promises the possibility of great rewards.
that the Christian Churches have had to o They attempt to shock the
compromise their beliefs in order to remain population through extreme views
Eurocentric
popular amongst believers. Bruce claims that or acts of terrorism to gain public
contemporary Christianity in America is more attention.
Stark and Bainbridge argue that the study
about personal development rather than of secularisation is ‘Eurocentric’. They
traditional beliefs. The influence of cosmopolitanism
criticise secularisation theorists for fooling
people into believing that there was a ‘golden
Against Secularisation in the US Giddens believes that globalisation has triggered the
age’ of religion in the past and that this has
recent rise in fundamentalism due to the rapid
since declined. promotion of cosmopolitan values. In all societies
Stark and Bainbridge argue that the study of
secularisation is ‘Eurocentric’ and does not around the world, individuals with conservative
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