The sociology of knowledge is a practice used by sociologists to study human beliefs within a social framework. The process is used to develop an understanding of the methods society uses to select truths based on the perception of dominant knowledge. Science and religion are two dominant yet distinctly different knowledge systems that are of particular interest to sociologists. Many sociologists believed that as societies advanced, religiosity would decline, yet religion still stands as a powerful social institution in present times. Although the sociology of knowledge is considered an essential process of enquiry in the area of sociology, due to its complex nature, the methods and concepts explored have gained the least amount of recognition …show more content…
8). Furthermore, religion requires its members to participate in rituals that include gathering in places of worship such as a church (Jones 2002, p. 50; Pinney 1940, p. 179-180). The two principle elements Durkheim identified in his theory of religion are belief and ritual. However, identifying the primary influence between belief and ritual has been largely debated. In considering whether belief influences actions or actions influence belief, Durkheim determined that it was belief in fact that influenced behaviour, and as such, he identified belief as the key principle of religion (Allen, Pickering & Miller 2011, p. 53; Datta & Milbrant 2014, p. 494). Further, Durkheim argued that for the religious believer, faith is linked with reality, and as such, it is a natural occurrence in an observable process which can be explained scientifically (Allen, Pickering & Miller 2011, p. 51). According to …show more content…
He believed the sociological challenge was to discover why social institutions are formed, how they are formed and the purpose they serve. Durkheim sought to answer these questions using social theory with a focus on religion (Allen, Pickering & Miller 2011, p. 51). He viewed religion as an established collection of social facts that could be studied using scientific methods to observe its structure, function, and influence in society (Turner 2010, p. 52; Turner 2011, p. 134). Peter Hamilton (2014, 103) notes that Durkheim’s sociology of knowledge was divided between two conflicting schools of thought, determinism and voluntarism, and positivism and idealism” (Hamilton 2014, p. 103) However, the analysis of religion using the principles of determinism and voluntarism limited the sociological process within a religious environment. Alternatively, observing religion as a collective social institution using the principles of positivism and idealism widened the scope of analysis to similar social systems (ibid). Further, Hamilton notes that Durkheim combines two philosophical schools of thought in his social theory, positivism and organicism. Positivism and methodological individualism were both consequences of liberal extremism and have their roots in the political
On his own, Durkheim contributed a number of elements to the newly founded field. Firstly, in 1893, Durkheim published his first major work, The Division of Labor in Society. (Johnson 51) This book was groundbreaking, in that he introduced the concept of "anomie", which is the breakdown of the influence of social norms on individuals within a society. Next, in 1895, he published The Rules of Sociological Method, which was his second major work. This was a manifesto discussing what sociology is and how it ought to be taught and carried out. Then, he published his third major work, Suicide: A Study in Sociology. This was a case study that explored the differing suicide rates among Protestants and Catholics, and argued that stronger social control among Catholics results in lower suicide rates. In 1912, Durkheim published his last major work, The Elementary Forms of The Religious Life. This book analyzes religion, through the lens of a social phenomenon.
Durkheim Emile Durkheim (1858 - 1917), believed individuals are determined by the society they live in because they share a moral reality that we have been socialised to internalise through social facts. Social facts according to Drukhiem are the “manners of acting, thinking and feeling external to the individual which are invested with a coercive power by virtue of which they exercise control over him [or her].” Social facts are external to the individual, they bind societies together because they have an emotional and moral hold on people, and are why we feel shame or guilt when we break societal convention. Durkheim was concerned with maintaining the cohesion of social structures. He was a functionalist, he believed each aspect of society contributes to society's stability and functioning as a whole.
Desfor Edles, Laura and Scott Appelrouth. 2010. “Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).” Pp. 100 and 122-134 in Sociological Theory in the Classical Era. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Parsons claims that religion is our primary source of meaning; it answers the eternal questions and help to understand things like suffering and pain. It also produces, sacralises and legitimises the core values of society e.g. Protestantism in the USA encouraged individualism, democracy and equality of opportunity. Bellah claims that there is a civil religion and gives the example of America and its faith in Americanism, he says that civil religion unites society. However the functionalist view can be criticised: It focuses on the positive aspects of religion and ignores that it is the cause of conflict in much of the world e.g. Northern Ireland and conflict between protestants and Catholics, It does not explain the origins of religion, explaining what functions religion performs does not help us to know where it came from. Durkheim did his studies I small scale non-literate societies, it is difficult to see how religion performs its functions in out large complex religiously plural society.
He claims that the only differentiation between magic and religion is the lack of unity of people living the same life in magic, as he expresses ‘the magician stands aloof’. The concept of the ‘Church’ is the communal faith and the similar view towards the relations between the sacred and profane. This is a popular belief among sociologists of religion. Northcott, who supports Durkheim’s religion definition, expresses that ‘religion is therefore a source of social and moral order, binding the members of society to a common social project, a set of shared values and social goals’ (1999). It is true that Durkheim regarded religion as a product of society and claimed all religion was the origin of moral beliefs. Furthermore, due to the belief that religion is a reflection of society, Durkheim rejects the belief that religiously diverse societies could successfully integrate. Stark et al believe that ‘it does not seem to have occurred to him that several faiths could generate independent, co-existing moral
some, such as Karl max saw that religion is a way strong of a tool that impairs social evaluation. Which resulted in ethnic and religious cleansing and furthermore proved to be the wrong approach to defining the role that religion plays in societies behaviors. I for one, think that religion is an indispensable and integral part of human sociology; furthermore, I believe understanding this relationship would lead to social development.
Durkheim is a key figure in understanding religion from a functionalist perspective. He believes that social order and stability can only exist if people are integrated into society by value consensus. Religion is seen as an important institution for achieving these functions as it sets a moral code for
“Religion is a ritualized system of beliefs and practices related to things defined as sacred by an organized community of believers.” (Basirico et.al. 379). Religion is an important element in the society because it influences the way individuals act and think. It has shaped the relationship and bonding among families as well as influenced the decision made in economics and politics. Religion in general has contributed to shape a society and a government structure which will influence the way the individuals under certain governmental structure behave. Sociologists are interested in religion mainly because religious belief is heavily rooted in individuals’ lives and it helps sociologists to interpret human’s actions, expression, and experiences. Due to its significance in society, sociologists try to study religion in depth to explain and understanding religions beyond science. Supernatural belief, which is the core of religion, cannot be explained using science which relies only on facts and data. According to Emile Durkheim, religion consists of three elements, a system of beliefs and practices, a community or church, and sacred things which are common throughout all religions. Although a lot of people may have thought that sociological studies in religion will undermine one’s faith towards their beliefs, in my opinion, sociological perspective in religion will have no effect on one’s faith toward their beliefs.
Comparing Weber's and Durkheim's Methodological Contributions to Sociology This essay will be examining the methodological contributions both Durkheim and Weber have provided to sociology. It will briefly observe what Positivists are and how their methodologies influence and affect their research. It will also consider what interpretative sociology is, and why their type of methodology is used when carrying out research. It will analyse both Durkheim's study of Suicide and also Webers study of The Protestant work ethic, and hopefully establish how each methodology was used for each particular piece of research, and why. Emile Durkhiem, in sociology terminology is considered to be a Functionalist, in addition to also being a Positivist, however, strictly speaking, Durkheim was not a Positivist.
Durkheim is a highly influential name to remember when thinking of sociology. Durkheim’s mission was to develop sociology so it could be defined and to develop a method on how sociology should be used. Durkheim’s main concern in his career was primarily associated with how societies might preserve their integrity and rationality within modernised society, when things such as shared religious views and ethnic backgrounds are seen as things of the past. In relation to Durkheim’s social realism his concern was with the growing individualism in society. Durkheim argues that we are in an era which is imperfectly moving towards a morality based on individualism as “Durkheim regarded individualism as a collective representation, a force that would impress itself on human minds regardless of their subjective opinions, as well as the manifestation of the egotistical will”. (Mestrovic 1988: 8).
Emile Durkheim was born in the eastern French province of Lorraine on April 15, 1858. He was the s on of a rabbi and descending from a long line of rabbis, he decided early that he would follow the family tradition and become a rabbi himself. He studied Hebrew, the Old Testament, and the Talmud, while following the regular course of in secular schools. He soon turned away from all religious involvement, though purposely not from interest in religious phenomena, and became a freethinker, or non-believer. At about the time of his graduation he decided that he would dedicate himself to the scientific study of society. Since sociology was not a subject either at the secondary schools or at the university, Durkheim launched a career as a teacher in philosophy. Emile Durkheim made many contributions to the study of society, suicide, the division of labor, solidarity and religion. Raised in a time of troubles in France, Durkheim spent much of his talent justifying order and commitment to order. Durkheim was a pioneer French sociologist, taught at Bordeaux (1887-1902) and the University of Paris (1902-17). He introduced the system and hypothetical framework of accurate social science. Durkheim was author of The Division of Labour (1893), Rules of Sociological Method (1895), Suicide (1897), Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1915). Emile Durkheim has often been characterized as the founder of professional sociology. He has a great closeness with the two introductory sociologists, Comte and Saint-Simon. Durkheim willingly noticed the ideas of the Division of Labor and the Biological Analogy.
During the European industrialization, theorist Émile Durkheim was the first to analyze religion in terms of societal impact. Durkheim defined religion as a “unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things” (Keirns, N. et al, p. 337, 2012). In terms of society, Durkheim overall believed that religion is about community: It binds people together (social cohesion), promotes behavior consistency (social control), and offers strength for people during life’s tribulations (meaning and purpose) (Keirns, N. et al, p. 337, 2012). He held that the source of religion is the collective mind-set of society and that this cohesive bond of social order resulted from common values in a society (Keirns, N. et al, p. 337, 2012). Additionally, he contended that these values need to be maintained to sustain social stability (Keirns, N. et al, p. 337,
The sociological approach looks at religious belief and practice in relation to the society. Sociologists are interested in two themes, the centrality of religion in society and the diversity of forms it inhabits (Hamilton 1995/2001:1). It regards religion as a social fact subject to empirical observation, which produces empirical evidence (Dillon 2003:7). The sociology of religion is a product of the enlightenment, from which it inherited a tendency to dismiss religion as incompatible with rationality (Dillon 2003:6). This dismissal has had significant impact on the attitude towards religion and it is the basis for the most influential paradigm in the history of the field; secularisation.
Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs and worships which includes a code of ethics and a philosophy of life. Well over 90% of the world 's population adheres to some form of religion. The problem is that there are so many different religions. What is the right religion? What is true religion? The two most common ingredients in religions are rules and rituals. Some religions are essentially nothing more than a list of rules, dos and don 'ts, which a person must observe in order to be considered a faithful adherent of that religion, and thereby, right with the God of that religion. Two examples of rules-based religions are Islam and Judaism. Islam has its five pillars that must be observed.
Religion is the foundation for all societies and cultures. Religion makes people who they are. Because the United States was founded on the principles of religion, the citizens of this country can practice whatever religion they like without being persecuted. The liberties provided under the Constitution allow individuals to practice their religious beliefs openly and without judgment. These beliefs provide guidance and structure in the lives of these individuals. Religion influence many aspects of day to day issues such as life choices, dress, and education. Religion is an important entity in the lives of many. Religious freedom includes the right to assemble for private and public worship, determine the conditions of membership, give religious instructions, preach its message publically, and publish and circulate religious material (Religious Freedom).