Patterns of ReligiosityAge, Social Class & Ethnicity

Recap

ReligiosityThe importance of religion in somebody’s life.

We can use the term to describe how religious a person, group or a society is e.g. We can talk about the religiosity of the contemporary UK.

Factors in Religiosity: Pairs

• In pairs, draw a mind-map or compile a list describing a minimum of six factors that might influence how religious a person is likely to be.• You need to be able to briefly justify each one.

(5 mins)

Explanations for increased religiosity of some groups:

• Members of deprived groups tend to be more religious due to promises of salvation in the next life, if not the present one. (Weber; 1920)

• Religion helps bond new communities – particularly those under threat. Provides shared norms and values, expressed through rituals which unite people as a distinct social group. (Durkheim; 1912)

Which groups might this particularly apply to?

Discuss/Recap

• How do we measure how religious someone is?

• What are some potential problems with trying to measure religiosity?

1. RELIGIOSITY & AGE

a) What does the graph above show?b) What questions do you need to ask about the

statistics?

Learning ObjectivesConfidently identify and describe at least two of the following explanations for patterns of religiosity by age:

• Patterns of migration.

• The influence of parents.

• Faith and home schooling.

• Coping strategy.

Religiosity & Age

KEY POINT:In the contemporary UK, young people are less religious than older people across all religious movements...

...apart from Islam, which has a relatively strong youth following.

Discuss: What do we mean by a ‘young person’? At what age does ‘youth’ begin and end?

National Statistics Online

• 23% of 16-34 year olds in the UK claim to have no religion, versus just 5% of those 65+.

• Remember, however, that belonging and believing are not the same thing (Davie; 1994)

Specific religions may have a younger age profile.

Homework

• Read the study on Children & Religious Belief by the JRF (link is on the NC Sociology website).

Write a summary (200 words) of what this research showed on children, religion and belonging.

Due: Next Lesson

Patterns of Migrationhttp://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/may/16/uk-census-religion-age-ethnicity-country-of-birth

• Religiosity can be linked to patterns and periods of migration.• In the UK, Christians and Jewish people tend to be white and

resident in the UK since before World War 2 – thus they have an older age profile.

• Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims tend to have a slightly younger age profile, due to more recent migration.

Within the UK, religiosity lessens with every generation.This can be used in a

question on ethnicity as

well as a question on

age…

For homework, please familiarise

yourself with the

data in the above

link!

Inheriting Religion (Voas; 2005)

The chances of a child adopting religious beliefs and practices is directly related to the religiosity of its parents.

• Both parents religions = 5 out of 10 children adopt religious beliefs

• One parent religious = 2.5 out of 10 children adopt religious beliefs

• Neither parent religious = Less that 1 in 10 children adopt religious beliefs

However, religious parents tend to have more children than non-religious parents.

Religion & Schooling• The type of school a child attends may also impact their religious beliefs.

• School is the place in which children tend to meet children of other faiths and will learn about a variety of religious in RE classes etc.

Discuss: How might Home Schooling and Faith Schools impact a child’s religious

beliefs?

Religiosity & Old Age• Most evidence suggests that the older generation are more

spiritual than the younger generations.

• McKingsley (2001) identified that religion was used as coping strategy by those aged 85+.

• However, religion is declining in the UK amongst all age categories.

2. RELIGIOSITY & ETHNICITY

Learning ObjectivesConfidently identify and describe two of the following explanations for patterns of religiosity by ethnicity:• Single faith schools• Empowerment by difference• Othering• Control, independence and hope to vulnerable communities

Present a profile of one of the UK’s major religious groups

Religiosity & Ethnicity

KEY POINT:In the contemporary UK, ethnic minorities tend to be more religious than members of the ‘dominant’ ethnic group.

Small Group ResearchSikh – Muslim – Hindu – Christian – Jew

In groups, select one of the above and find out:• How many are practising in UK?• What is their age profile?• Types of religious buildings they practice in, and how many

such buildings there are in the UK?• How and when did they arrive in the UK?• Some specific details about their faiths/beliefs/traditions?

Generational Decline in ReligiosityModood (1994)

• The importance of religion is declining in all ethnic groups (within the UK).

• Many of those who remain religious are demanding more flexible readings of scriptures/traditions.

• Fewer Second Generation respondents regularly attend temples/churches etc.

Single-Faith Schools

• It is argued that faith schools are a response to secularization.• Faith schools can strengthen religious commitment and

ethnic identity.

In pairs, list at least five positive and five negative points about the existence of faith schools within the contemporary UK (5

mins)

Religion vs. Racism• Johal (1988) argued that many British Asians uphold the

religious and cultural practices of their parents as a way of strengthening their identity and resisting racism.

• Johal refers to this as an empowerment through difference.

Discuss: What do you think ‘empowerment through difference’ means? How is Johal’s study contradicted by Modood’s work?

Religion, Ethnicity & Cultural Conflict

Dominant cultures are often hostile to minority cultures, believing they should assimilate. In the UK, some are seen as refusing to assimilate due to particular religious practices or beliefs e.g.

• Arranged marriages• Refusal of Sikhs to wear motorcycle helmets• Growth in number of mosques etc.

Muslims in the UK• 33% of British Muslims are under 15 and 50% are under 25.

The youngest age profile for any UK religion.

• Islam is an important source of identity for young Pakistanis (Jacobson; 1998)

• Young British Muslims are moving from an ethnic identity to a religious identity (Samad; 2006)

Muslims in the UKAkhtar (2005)• Muslims have been othered in the West.

• Religion offers young Muslims belonging and solidarity.

• Religion also provides political mobilisation: Radical groups have turned this to their advantage.

Black Pentecostalismhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/pentecostal_1.shtml

• In the UK, Pentecostalism is very strong among black communities and is the fastest growing Christian movement.

• Beckford (2000) believes it offers control to those who feel they lack power.

• It gives people a sense of independence and hope.

• It also portrays wealth positively and as something to aspire to.

The link at the top of the

page will give you more info

on pentecostalism

Glossary Check: Which of the following can you define?

• Assimilate• Cultural Hybridity• Empowerment• Halal Food• Islamaphobia• Othering• Religious Identity• Pentecostalism

Written Task

Identify and explain two reasons why some ethnic groups are more religious than others in the contemporary UK [17]

15 mins

3. RELIGIOSITY & SOCIAL CLASS

Learning ObjectivesConfidently identify and describe two of the following explanations for patterns of religiosity by social class:

• Appeal of different types of religious organisation• Relative deprivation• Believing without belonging

Religiosity & Social Class

KEY POINT:In the contemporary UK, the middle classes tend to be more religious than the working classes.

Note: In a question on Social Class, you are encouraged to refer to Marxist ideas…although this key point does directly contradict them!

Social Class – Church, Sect, cult & Denomination• Churches traditionally appeal to the upper classes, due to

their close links to the State.

• Denominations – predominantly appeal to the middle classes, due to their conservative nature (though they do have members from all classes).

• Sects & Cults – Weber would argue they appeal most to the working class, as they tend to attract marginalised people. However, it depends entirely on the sect/cult (though every sect/cult seems to contain only one social class).

Relative Deprivation & Fundamentalism• Fundamentalism often attracts members of the middle

classes.• People remember times when their communities were

stronger, and they blame modernity and Western consumerism for the breakdown of those communities. Though they are well-off, they feel relatively deprived e.g. in some ways, they were better off before. Hence, religious fundamentalism seems attractive (Bruce; 2002)

Class & Religious Belief• The working class are less likely to attend church than the

middle class...• ...However, this might not mean they do not have religious

beliefs.• Davie (1994) claimed the working class were more likely to

believe without belonging.• Most New Age movements tend to attract the middle classes;

people who have money are more likely to look for other ways of fulfilment.

• Different types of NRM attract different social classes.

Homework

Revise this section of the unit in preparation for a Progress Test next lesson!

• Check all moodle resources• Check the NC Sociology website for resources, tasks and

updates