1 Education and Religion

Transcription

1 Essentials of Sociology 9 th Edition Chapter 13: Education and Religion This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program 1

2 Chapter Overview Education in Global Perspective Three Sociological Perspectives Problems in the Educational System What is Religion? Three Sociological Perspectives (Religion) Types of Religious Groups 2

3 Education and Industrialization Early in U.S. history there was no free public education. As the country industrialized in the 1800 s, political and civic leaders saw the need for an educated work force Community colleges were born in the early 1900 s 3

4 Figure 13.1 Educational Achievement in the United States Note: Americans 25 years and over. Asterisk indicates author s estimate. Sources: By the author. Based on National Center for Education Statistics 1991:Table 8; Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010:Table

5 Education Around the World Education in Japan (Industrialized Nations) Emphasis on Solidarity within Group Discourages Competition among Individuals Education in Russia (Industrializing Nations) Education, including College was Free Post Soviet Russians are Reinventing Education as Communism has dissolved Education in Egypt (Least Industrialized Nations) Mandatory Attendance Laws are Not enforced Many learn from their parents 5

6 Credential Societies Credential Societies Diplomas Determine Job Eligibility Diplomas Serve as Sorting Devices Credential Societies are usually Industrialized Societies 6

7 The Functionalist Perspective Education provides manifest and latent functions Manifest functions include: Learning skills and knowledge Social Integration: Mainstreaming Cultural transmission of values Tracking and Gatekeeping There are dysfunctions within the educational system, including school violence and mediocrity 7

8 The Conflict Perspective The educational system perpetuates social inequalities that already exist in society The Hidden Curriculum Tracking leads to inequalities Standardized tests are biased towards certain social classes Some students lack cultural capital 8

9 The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective The Ray Rist Study: Teacher s perception of students led to labeling George Farkas studied how teacher expectations affect grades Teachers label students a certain way which leads to a self fulfilling prophecy among many students 9

10 10 Rising Tide of Mediocrity Unequal Funding Cheating Grade Inflation, Social Promotion, Functional Illiteracy Violence in Schools Problems in U.S. Education

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12 12 What is Religion? Emile Durkheim said, A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things. Sacred is the opposite of profane (ordinary)

13 13 Three Elements of Religion (Durkheim) Beliefs that Some Things are Sacred Practices Centering on Things Considered Sacred A Moral Community Resulting from a Group s Beliefs and Practices

14 Religion provides certain functions: Answers questions about the ultimate meaning of life Social solidarity The Functionalist Emotional comfort Perspective Provides guidelines for everyday life There are also dysfunctions of religion including: War and Terrorism and Religious Persecution 14

15 The Symbolic Interactionist Studies what meanings people give to their religious beliefs and what religion means to each individual Religious Symbols Rituals, Ceremonies, Repetitive Practices For some people the meaning of the Religious Experience is so powerful, they believe they are Born Again Perspective 15

16 16 Conflict Perspective Marx saw religion as The opium of the people and believed that religion diverted people s attention from the oppression they were facing Legitimization of Social Inequalities Social Arrangements Represent God s Desires Divine Rights of Kings Pharaoh as God Hindu Cast System

17 17 Types of Religious Groups Cults Begin with Charismatic Leader Most Popular Religions Started this Way Religious Fervor is High Most Cults Fail If Cults Survive, They Often Form: Sects Loosely Organized and Fairly Small Emphasize Personal Salvation Some sects remain sects and never turn into churches (Amish)

18 18 Types of Religious Groups Churches Highly Bureaucratized National and International Relationship with God Less Intense Ecclesia State Religions Part of Cultural Identification

19 Figure 13.5 Religious Groups: From Hostility to Acceptance Note: Any religious organization can be placed somewhere on this continuum, based on its having more or less of these characteristics and emphases. The varying proportions of the rectangles are intended to represent the group s relative characteristics and emphases. Sources: By the author. Based on Troeltsch 1931; Pope 1942; and Johnson

20 20 Religion in the U.S. The hour between 10 and 11 am on Sundays has been referred to as the most segregated hour in the U.S. Religious participation goes up as one ages 94 % of Americans believe that there is a God

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22 Figure 13.6 Social Class and Religious Affiliation 1Since the income data were reported, inflation has run approximately 27 percent. 2Higher numbers mean that more of the group s members work at occupations that have higher prestige, generally those that require more education and pay more. For more information on occupational prestige, see Table 8.2 on page 193. Source: By the author. Based on Smith and Faris

23 23 Religion Thrives People will Always Ponder the Purpose of Life Science Cannot Tell Us About The Existence of God The Purpose of Life An Afterlife Morality The Future of Religion