Introduction to Sociology: Religion Siniša Zrinščak December 4, 2017 sinisa.zrinscak@pravo.hr http://www.sinisazrinscak.com/

Sociology and religion What to study and how? From institution to very personal feelings? Different religions in the same way? Marx – religion as an illusion – religion as a reflection of alienation in a world / market – religion help to accept / justify unequal world, social and economic injustice Weber – religion as an agent of change (how religion stimulated capitalism) - religion as a way of explaining why people suffer and die (theodicy)

- rational character of modern world = disenchantment of the world Durkheim – religion as a basis of the collective conscience, as a basis of social – integrative function Basic (universal) function to be found in the simplest form – Australian aboriginals… sacred and profane … Two broad definitions…

Substantive definitions – what religion is, common content of all religions? “belief in spiritual beings” “in divine beings”, “supra empirical”...– what about practice, Eastern religions...? P. Berger: “human production of a sacred cosmos” - concept of “sacred” Need for broader definitions, problems of operationalization in different social and cultural contexts

Functional definitions – what religion does M. Yinger: “a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with the ultimate problems of human life” – functions: creating meaning, empowerment, courage, integration... Not ethnocentric! But: other social phenomenon can have same consequences...

Durkheim: “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices which unite into one singles moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them” “sacred” + “integration” Definition – just and academic issue? Definition and Church-state relations – e.g. which religion to be recognized / supported / tolerated….

Types of religious organizations Weber: Church and sect Church – large, hierocratic organization, universal claim (e.g. by birth), professionals, in harmony with the world Sect – small, strict, usually in opposition to the world, intensive religious life, conversion Denomination – subdivisions of large religions / pluralistic environment (USA) Cult – novel, exotic, fluid…without formal organization

What religion is today? Secularization theory – the most influential and the most debated Modernization, rationalization, functional differentiation, pluralization + privatization K. Dobbelaere: secularization at three levels - societal (laicization due to differentiation) - organizational (adaptation to secular values or sacralization, NRMs...) - individual (privatized, individual, “bricolage”, “patchwork”...)

Relations between levels – mechanical, or Relations between levels – mechanical, or? Influence of actors, and other processes... But: secular Europe and religious America A global outlook? Sociological debates: from “civil religion” to “public religions” „global religions”…in a modern world R. Bellah: civil religion = “a set of religious beliefs, symbols and rituals growing out of the American historical experience interpreted in the dimension of transcendence” – legitimation of the American past and present

A common set of principles, a common religious basis for moral order? Beliefs, practices, and symbols that a nations hold sacred (Yamane) But, religion and nation – e.g. use (or misuse?) of religion in wars in fr. Yugoslavia – from overlapping of ethnic and religious identity to destruction of “inimical” religious objects

Casanova – religion is not privatized but visible and influential in a public arena Revised secularization theory = functional differentiation – structural trend; : privatization and declining of religion - just historical options

Market theory – demand and supply – religious demands – and religious institutions which offer goods and services Two premises: rational choice (people as rational beings), and constant religious demands Consequences: pluralization (more and competitive offers: more religious) (If) adequate for US, adequate for other contexts?

Religion and globalization – from religious America / secular Europe to global outlook – what about the world in general? From „religion and globalization” to „global religions”: - migration - spread of religions through missions, use of new technologies - religion and social processes in a world

Religion in empirical research Three major components: beliefs, rituals, experience Dimensions – as researched in the EVS: - belief - experience (“subjective religiosity”) - practice (+ public role) -consequential dimension Knowledge (not in the EVS) Differences among dimensions – why and how to interpret? Possible concepts – believing without belonging, belonging without believeing, believing in belonging..

Practice – at least once a month EVS- VWS data Country Belonging Religious persons Practice – at least once a month   1999.-2001. Change 2008. Austria 88,1 -5,3 75,0 -14,3 42,5 -14,4 Croatia 88,7 -4,5 79,9 -0,9 52,5 -9,9 Czech R. 33,7 -5,8 40,4 -9,1 11,7 +1,1 Finland -12,4 61,6 -12,6 14,0 -4,0 France 57,5 -6,5 44,4 -1,8 11,9 +0,6 Greece 96,0 +0,9 74,8 +11,9 33,5 +9,9 Germany 60.4 -6.7 24.3 -8.5 35.1 - 10.9 Hungary 57,1 -3,8 57,6 -5,2 17,6 -3,0 Italy 82,2 83,2 -1,7 53,7 -6,1 Poland 95,7 -1,5 91,8 -8,2 78,2 -8,4 Portugal 89,0 -2,1 85,4 -3,9 51,2 -3,7 Rusian F. 50,5 +12,5 60,1 +11.1 9,1 +5,3 Slovakia 76,8 +3,0 76,7 +0,3 49,8 Slovenia 70,0 +1,0 64,6 30,7 -4,8 Spain 82,0 -6,4 59,0 -3,1 35,9 -13,5

EVS - Croatia, 2008

1999 and 2008