Functionalist beliefs on religion

• Durkheim believed that the family was essential for maintaining social solidarity through shared values and norms.
• The family also plays an economic role by providing labour to produce goods and services.
• Marxism emphasizes the economic factors that shape human behavior and views society as being driven by class conflict between those who own capital (the bourgeoisie) and those who work with it (the proletariat).
• Marxism argues that the family serves as a tool of capitalist exploitation, with women being oppressed within the home and forced into low-paid work outside the home.
• Functionalists argue that the family plays a crucial role in shaping individual identity and preparing individuals to become productive members of society.
• Feminists criticize functionalism's view of the family as a source of stability and harmony, arguing that it ignores the power imbalances between men and women.
• Functionalists argue that the family is important because it provides emotional support, care, and nurturing for children.
• Marxism emphasizes the economic factors that shape human behavior and views society as being driven by class conflict between those who own capital (the bourgeoisie) and those who work with it (the proletariat).
• The family is seen as an important institution for transmitting cultural traditions, providing emotional support, and promoting socialization.
• Functionalists believe that the family is important because it provides socialisation, emotional support, and care.
• Feminists argue that Marx's theory is too simplistic and fails to consider other forms of oppression such as race or sexuality.
• Marxism emphasizes the economic factors that shape human behavior and views society as being driven by class conflict between those who own capital (the bourgeoisie) and those who work with it (the proletariat).
• Marxists believe that the state is used by the ruling class to maintain their power, while the working class struggles against exploitation and oppression.
• Feminists criticize functionalist theories for ignoring gender inequality and failing to recognize the ways in which patriarchal structures perpetuate male dominance over women.
• Postmodernists challenge the idea of a single "true" reality or objective truth, instead viewing reality as subjective and constructed through language and discourse.
• Postmodernists challenge the idea of a single "true" reality or objective truth, instead viewing reality as subjective and constructed through language and discourse.
• Postmodernists challenge traditional ideas about gender roles and suggest that there are multiple ways of defining masculinity and femininity.
• Postmodernists challenge traditional ideas about gender roles and suggest that there are multiple ways of defining masculinity and femininity.
• Marxists argue that the family serves to reproduce the capitalist system by producing workers who are obedient and loyal to employers.
• The sacred and the profane

  Sacred - things that are special bc they are the product of higher power

  profane - things that are ordinary
• Totemism

  Australian Aboriginal tribe - bonds of kin who come together to worship a totem. The ritual reinforces the clans sense of belonging and solidarity
• Collective conscious


  shared norms, values beliefs and knowledg. Durkheim believed religious rituals reinforce collective conscience and maintains social integration reminding people that they share a common moral outlook to which they owe loyalty.

  religion helps the individual to feel part of something bigger than themselves
• Parsons - values and meanings


  Religion helps people to cope with unforeseen situations and uncontrollable outcomes.

  it legitimises societies central values by sacralising them which serves to promote value consensus

  a primary source of meaning by trying to answer ultimate questions about human condition
• Civil religion - Bellah

  belief system that attaches sacred qualities to society

  civil religion integrates society in a way that all the different churches in America can’t. It involves loyalty to the nation and a belief in god, eg national anthem
• Psychological functions - Malinowski


  Religion helps people to cope with emotional stress which could undermine social solidarity. 1. where the outcome is important but uncontrollable and uncertain. 2. At times of crisis - birth, death etc
• Evaluation

  Ignores negative aspects of religion such as hate crimes

  Hamilton and Dysfunction - ignores way religion can be a source of social division