Info you neede to know
A five- to ten-page paper (A five page paper will usually contain about 2000 words.) is expected to be turned in by the date indicated in the syllabus, as part of the requirements for the course. The title page and the reference page are in addition to the minimum of five pages for your paper. The paper is expected to be typed (double spaced) with a minimum of five pages. The student is to use one-inch margins and use a font size no larger than 12. Please use Times Roman Font. You must cite the sources you use on a reference page.
Please write on the following topic: “Describe the religious and educational institutions using the functionalist and conflict approaches.”
Religion and the Functionalist, Conflict and Symbolic Interactionist Perspectives:
Some sociologists have noted that the institution of religion performs some specific functions (The Functionalist Perspective) to include providing emotional support and comfort, uniting individuals, providing a purpose to life for individuals, providing norms/guidelines for behavior–thus controlling behavior and providing some support for the control by government, providing support for changes and new environments, and assistance with social change.
Emile Durkheim emphasized that religion is essential to the maintenance of society suggesting that religion is a cultural universal found in all societies. Durkheim noted that the central feature of all religions is the presence of sacred beliefs and rituals that bid people together in a collectivity.
Functionalist suggest that religion has three important functions in any society: Meaning and Purpose; Social Cohesion and a Sense of Belonging; and Social Control and Support for the Government.
Some sociologists have been very critical of religion (Conflict Perspective) to include Karl Marx. Marx suggested that religion provides a diversion for the oppressed and results in redirected energy that might be used to help individuals escape their oppressed circumstances. The conflict perspective suggest that religious practices suggest inequalities in a society–ie your book suggest gender roles have been dictated by some religious groups and have resulted in inequality.
Marx suggested that ideologies (systematic views of the way the world ought to be) are embodied in the religious doctrines and political values. He suggested these ideologies serve to justify the status quo and retard social change. He thought the capitalist class uses religious ideology as a means of domination — Marx noted that “religion is the opiate of the masses”.
Max Weber argued that religion could be a catalyst to produce social change asserting that the religious teachings of John Calvin were directly related to the rise of capitalism. Calvin emphasized doctrine of predestination (belief that even before they are born, all people are divided into tow groups–the saved and the “damned” and only God knows who will go to heaven/hell. Max Weber views religion as the key to modernization. Weber is responsible for writing The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. He notes that religion is responsible for capitalism developing in Europe and the change from Catholicism to Protestantism resulted in a thinking known as the “Protestant Ethic”
Some sociologists suggest religions can be used to provide identity and solidarity for individuals who are a part of a society–the symbols are a means people use to communicate with one another, the rituals provide a place and time for interaction. Your book suggest that the symbols, rituals and beliefs unite individuals into a moral community with meanings that they share. (Symbolic Interactions Approach) Symbolic interactionists are concerned with a microlevel analysis–meanings people give to religion in their everyday life. Religion can serve as a reference group for some individuals. Interesting section on the early feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman and her belief on “men’s religion”–be sure to read!!!
Rational Choice Perspectives on Religion are based on assumptions that religion is essentially a rational response to human needs, but denying that any particular religious belief is necessarily true or more rational than another. Rational Choice Perspective views religion as a competitive marketplace where religious organizations offer a variety of religions and religious products to followers (suppliers/consumers).
**Information taken from the Kendall text (Sociology In Our Times: The Essentials 12th edition)
Religion and Emile Durkheim
The study of religion in society involves a study of the unified system of beliefs and practices associated with the sacred in society. Emile Durkheim gives us some insight into religion. He noted that religions distinguish between the profane (common elements) and the sacred (that which inspires fear, reverence, respect–that which is set apart). Located at the following couple of websites is a brief discussion of a perception of Durkheim’s views of religion:
