Discuss the Contribution Feminism Has Made to Our...

Paula Gourley Discuss the contribution feminism has made to our understanding of the sociology of religion. Illustrate your arguments with sociological examples. The sociology of religion examines the significance of the role of religion within society. It is not concerned with philosophical or theological issues such as the existence of God. Rather the sociology of religion examines how beliefs and practices affect behaviour, how religion is understood and how it influences social life. It also looks at the characteristics common to all religions and the factors which influence the way it is organised. Feminism is one area within sociology which takes a critical view of religion. Feminists regard religion as a source of social opium to†¦show more content†¦For Marx too religion appealed to the person: who has either not yet found himself or has already lost himself again...... It is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world....It is the opium of the people (Selfe and Starbuck,1998:22). Marx believed that people become alienated from each other due to the economic system, in which capitalism divides people t hrough class inequalities. Religion emerges as a product of this alienation in which people try to gain acceptance of their lot in life. Among poor immigrant groups religion remains strong. Religion is therefore a drug and a product of society which makes things bearable. The caste system in India which relies on Hindu religious beliefs helps to maintain and justify caste discrimination (Selfe and Starbuck, 1998). Even though Marx acknowledged the comforting role of religion, he focused on its repressive, restraining qualities which help to maintain the status quo. He suggested that often religion provides justification for inequalities of wealth and power and argues that we must free ourselves and not fear the gods we have created. He argued that religion prevents people from challenging the source of their oppression and provides them with a false consciousness. People believe they will be compensated for their suffering in the next world. Like Functionalists, Marxists agree social institutions control and socialise individuals butShow MoreRelatedSociology Essay20437 Words   |  82 PagesAS Sociology Sociology Nik Jorgensen Text  © Nelson Thornes Distance Learning 2010 Illustrations  © Nelson Thornes Distance Learning 2010 All rights reserved. The copyright holders authorise ONLY users of NTDL AS Sociology to make photocopies for their own or their students’ immediate use within the teaching context. No other rights are granted without permission in writing from the publisher or under licence from the Copyright Licensing Agency Limited, of Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby StreetRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesabout Ennis Edmondss Rastafari: From Outcasts to Culture Bearers is that it correctly traces the connection between the emergence of Rastafarianism and the history of resistance and black consciousness that has been part of the Jamaican experience for years. The truth is that there has always been a committed Jamaican counter- culture that celebrates and sees redemption in Africa and rejects the European values that have oppressed a society. But prior to the advent of popular culture and especiallyRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesorganization theory the book increases the understanding of a field that in recent years has become ever more fragmented. Organization theory is central to managing, organizing and reflecting on both formal and informal structures, and in this respect you will find this book timely, interesting and valuable. Peter Holdt Christensen, Associate Professor, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark McAuley et al.’s book is thought-provoking, witty and highly relevant for understanding contemporary organizational dilemmasRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesOral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner