Religion And Social Change Essay

This week’s readings attempted to explain the role of religion in social changes. Different authors focused on different changes in society, but the theme that connects them all is religion. Dwight B. Billings (1990) was aiming to “examine the factors that enable religion to contribute to activism by becoming an oppositional discourse and practice” (p.1-2), and he used qualitative research method to explain his claims. Billings used two pieces of literatures (Antonio Gramsci’s approach to religion and social class militancy and Liston Pope’s social psychological studies of religious conversion and commitment) as his theoretical reference and applied the theories on religious leaders in southern textile communities. He found that the religious group took the “oppositional stance” because the movements best align with their interests. Concluding that first, religion is a mediating variable in social conflicts; second, the development of critical understanding is crucial on the religious leaders’ decision to defend the hegemony of dominant social groups or the oppositional culture; and last, movements that are based on class differences, religion could be significant in class formation. One question I

She used a triangulated methodology that was introduced by Denzin in 1978. She engaged in a participant observation at Jonah House and attended the gatherings of the Atlantic Life Community. Based on her field notes, she designed a mail survey that addressed basic demographic data, religious beliefs and practices, history of activism, participation in the community, and more. She later conducted follow-up interviews to clarify the survey responses. Found that the Plowshares movement sustains itself because leaders have “intentionally implemented practices to reinforce commitment.”