Abstract
The gang finally tackles a topic we’ve been nervous about – religion! We rely on Emile Durkheim’s seminal book The Elementary Forms of Religious Life to guide us through this complex but fundamental aspect of human society. We discuss concepts related to religions from Durkheim’s perspective from social fact, rituals and symbols, the sacred and the profane, collective effervescence and more. What functions does religion serve in society? Why and how is it necessary for collective identity and social life? Tune in to learn more! And if you get upset, just blame Durkheim and not us!
Keywords
Religion, Collective Identity, Symbolic Interactionism, Values, Morals, Traditions, Rituals, Structural Functionalism
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- (Don’t) Ask a Sociologist Episode 2: What is Agency and Structures?
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Sources:
- Emile Durkheim and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life
- Durkheim and Sociology – learn about his work, particularly on suicide
- Suicide, book by Durkheim (1897) summary
- Joel Osteen’s wikipedia page
- Fewer Than Half Of U.S. Adults Belong To A Religious Congregation, New Poll Shows
- How Religious Are Americans?
- About Three-in-Ten U.S. Adults Are Now Religiously Unaffiliated
- Biden is only the second Catholic president, but nearly all have been Christians
- How Hip-Hop Inched Its Way to the Super Bowl Halftime Stage
- Lady Gaga Made an Edgy Political Statement You Might Have Missed at the Super Bowl
- Prepare for Jack Nicholson’s eyebrows
- SOC 105 – “You’re Beautiful, No Matter What They Say”