SCLY3 TOPIC SENTENCES

AQA sociology A2 level

Topic: religion

For the 33 markers, you need to put in lots of links about the “nature of sociological
thought, methods of sociological enquiry, and the core themes (socialisation, culture
and identity; and social differentiation, power and stratification).”Basically, talk about
the concepts of each theory like value consensus or communism. Learn the research
methods used in a few of the studies and use for evaluation where possible. Also, use the
core themes for positive and negative evaluation.

Use up-to-date examples and get some easily-applied stats. Problems of studying the
topics and other factors involved in the topics. These only apply to the 33 marker.

In the 12 – 15 band (QWC 33MARKER), candidates’ answers are likely to be characterised

by the very good to excellent logical expression of ideas and the precise use of a broad
range of conceptual terms. Spelling, punctuation and grammar will be of a very good to
excellent standard, with commonly and less commonly used words and sociological terms
almost always spelt correctly. Meaning will be clear throughout.
Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess the view that religion is ‘the opium of the
people’. [18 marks] (June 2015)

 Postmodernity New Age movements; disenchantment; spiritual shopping; religiosity; lifestyle;

pick and mix religion; postmodernity. Davie, Lyon,
 Fundamentalism social change; globalisation; modernity. Bruce, Berger, Weber.
 Feminism feminism; patriarchy. El Saadawi, Holm, Armstrong.
 Functionalism status-quo; life-crises; social solidarity; anomie. Bellah, Durkheim, Malinowski,
Parsons.
 Marxism status quo; false class consciousness; cushion/instrument of oppression; oppression;
Marxism; Neo-Marxism; fundamentalism. Marx, Gramsci.

Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess the view that traditional churches are
experiencing declining attendances mainly because they are no longer attracting the young. (18
marks) (June 2014)

 Secularisation and age Voas and Crocket, Gill et al, Norris and Inglehart.
 Postmodernism spiritual shopping; lifestyle; pick and mix religion, cultural amnesia. Davie,
Hervieu-Leger.
 Fundamentalism marginality; globalisation, modernity. Bruce, Giddens, Bauman.
 NAM new age movements, disenchantment; new religious movements; sects; cults; anomie.
Bruce, Heelas and Woodhead, Wallis.
 Privatisation of belief believing but not belonging; privatised religion; metanarrative;
fragmentation of beliefs. Lyon, Lyotard, Parsons.

Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess the view that the growth of religious
fundamentalism is a reaction to globalisation. (18 marks) (June 2013)

 Postmodernity spiritual shopping; lifestyle; pick and mix religion; New Age movements.
Bauman, Hervieu-Leger, Lyon.
 Counter government/social oppression migration/immigration, cultural imperialism;
oppression; false class consciousness. Bruce x2, Marx.
 Secularisation disenchantment. Weber, Voas and Crockett.
 Meets needs of consumer social solidarity; anomie; status quo. Stark and Bainbridge, Norris
and Inglehart.
 Globalisation social change; globalisation; modernity. Huntington, Giddens.

Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that religion no longer acts as a ‘shared
universe of meaning’ for people today. (18 marks) (January 2013)

 Secularisation disenchantment, structural differentiation, less religious information absorbed.

Berger, Parsons, Weber.
 Fundamentalism new age movements, cosmopolitanism, and globalisation. Giddens and
Bauman.
 Postmodernism spiritual shopping, metanarrative, lifestyle, pick and mix religion, religious
pluralism. Davie, Lyon, Hervieu-Leger, Lyotard.
 Marxism/Feminism patriarchy, oppression, religion as compensator, theodicy.
 Functionalism social solidarity, anomie. Durkheim, Parsons, Bellah.
Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that most people today choose not to
be lifelong members of religious organisations. (18 marks) (January 2012)

 Secularisation disenchantment; globalisation; social solidarity, structural differentiation; anomie.

Lyon, Parsons, Lyotard, Berger.
 Postmodernism/lifestyle may change spiritual shopping; lifestyle; pick and mix religion; new
religious movements; New Age movements, pilgrims and converts. Heelas, Wallis, Stark and
Bainbridge, Hervieu-Leger.
 May only need for a short time liberation theology, New Christian Right. Maduro, Bruce.
 Marxism/Feminism status quo; false class consciousness; patriarchy.

Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that women are no longer oppressed
by religion. (18 marks) (June 2012)

 Secularisation disenchantment; globalisation.

 Functionalism social solidarity; anomie.
 Postmodernism spiritual shopping; female priests; feminist theology; lifestyle, pick-and-mix
religion; New Age movements.
 Oppression from religious texts polygamy; female circumcision; sati/suttee; differential
punishments for adultery, veiling, oppression.
 Marxism status quo; false class consciousness.

Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that, while the Church of England is
declining, other religions and spiritual movements are flourishing. (18 marks) (Jan 2011)

 Privatisation of belief believing without belonging, changing leisure and social patterns,
social status. Davie, Bruce, Bellah.
 Individualism spiritual shopping, pick and mix religion, new religious movements. Wallis,
Heelas, Hervieu-Leger.
 Secularisation desacrilisation, fundamentalism, globalisation, multicultural influences.
Parsons, Weber, Lyon.
 Uncertain nature of evidence on beliefs Stark and Bainbridge, Wilson, Hadaway et al, Bruce.

Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess the view that religion is a force for social change.
(18 marks) (Jun 2011)

 Secularisation/science Woolgar, Popper, Horton, Parsons.

 Fundamentalism New Christian Right. Bauman, Giddens, Bruce.
 Postmodernism spiritual shopping; pick and mix religion; new religious movements;
globalisation. Hervieu-Leger, Davie, Wallis, Lyon.
 Ideals from religious texts Liberation Theology, predestination, theodicies. Maduro, Marx,
Weber.
 Marxism/Feminism/Functionalism status quo; false class consciousness; patriarchy;
oppression. social solidarity; anomie. Marx, Gramsci, Althusser, El Saadawi, Holm, Durkheim.
‘Religion is now about consumerism, where spiritual shoppers look in the spiritual marketplace for
a product that suits their lifestyle.’ To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence
support this view? [33 marks] (June 2015)

 Ethnic minorities use it for important transition in life, retain culture. Cultural defence, cultural
transition. Bruce. Miller and Hoffman.
 Functionalism argues that religion plays important roles that cannot be replaced. Civil religion,
personal crises. Durkheim, Malinowski, Parsons.
 Disenchantment and the growth of NAMs/women have high level of participation sacred
canopy, evolution, intelligent design, and social change. Growth in fundamentalism as well
though. Berger, Giddens, Heelas and Woodhead.
 Marxists would argue that religion is about oppression, no choice. Marxism, neo-Marxism,
communism, hegemony, oppression. Althusser, Marx, Gramsci.
 Postmodernists would argue that it is about consumerism, spiritual shopping, pick and mix
religions, religiosity, holistic milieu, end of metanarratives, lifestyle. Davie, Lyotard, Stark and
Bainbridge.

Critically examine the reasons why people join sects and New Age movements. [33 marks] (June
2015)

 Appeal of New Age self-spirituality, lifestyle, pilgrims and converts, holistic milieu. Brown,
Heelas.
 Growth of New Age new religious movement, cultic movements, New Age, detraditionalisation.
Heelas and Woodhead, Wallis.
 Postmodernity postmodernity, spiritual shopping, metanarrative, spiritual shopping, identity.
Davie, Lyotard, Hervieu-Leger.
 Appeal of Sects marginality, relative deprivation, community, theodicy of disprivilege, sect.
Weber, Stark and Bainbridge.
 Ethnicity and globalisation, group identity, cultural defence, cultural transition. Miller and
Hoffman. Bruce, Pryce.

‘Religion today helps societies to remain stable and to avoid conflict.’ To what extent do
sociological arguments and evidence support this view? (33 marks) (June 2014)

 Feminism feminism, patriarchy. Holm, El Saadawi.

 Marxism Marxism, neo-Marxism, communism, hegemony, cushioning and/or an instrument of
oppression. Althusser, Marx, Gramsci.
 Fundamentalism/secularisation fundamentalism, evolution, sacred canopy, intelligent design.
Giddens, Bauman, Parsons, Lyotard.
 NAM spiritual shopping, pick and mix religions, religiosity, holistic milieu, metanarrative. Davie,
Hervieu-Leger, Heelas and Woodhead, Wallis.
 Functionalism civil religion, social change, functions of religion and conservatism. Durkheim,
Malinowski, Bellah.

Evaluate feminist views on the role of religion in society today. (33 marks) (June 2014)

 Feminism/gender feminism, patriarchy, stained glass ceiling, nurturing, socialisation. Miller and
Hoffman, de Beauvoir, El Saadawi, Holm, Woodhead, Woodhead and Heelas.
 Functionalism civil religion, life crises. Durkheim, Malinowski, Bellah, Parsons.
 Postmodernity Berger, Weber, Parsons.
 Class/Marxism Marxism, neo-Marxism, theodicies of disprivilege, status frustration,
empowerment, opiate.
 Ethnicity Pryce, Bruce.
Evaluate the contribution of Marxist theories to our understanding of the role and functions of
religion in the world today. (33 marks) (June 2013)

 Feminism feminism; patriarchy cultural defence. El Saadawi, Holm.

 Functionalism civil religion, religiosity, life crises. Durkheim, Parsons, Malinowski, Bellah.
 Ethnic minorities cultural transition, cultural defence. Bruce.
 Postmodernism spiritual shopping; pick and mix religions, religiosity, holistic milieu,
metanarratives. Davie, Heelas, Lyon, Stark and Bainbridge.
 Fundamentalism/secularisation social change, sacred canopy, fundamentalism, evolution;
intelligent design. Berger, Lyotard, Woolgar, Bauman.
 Marxism Marxism, neo-Marxism, communism ideology; ideological state apparatus. ;
Hegemony, oppression; false class consciousness and liberation theology. Althusser, Marx,
Gramsci, Maduro, Mannheim.

‘Different social groups have different social and spiritual needs and use religion and religious
organisations in very different ways.’ To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence
support this view? (33 marks) (June 2013)

 Age postmodernity, spiritual shopping, metanarrative, group identity. Voas and Crockett, Lyon.
 Gender Miller and Hoffman, Greeley, Brown.
 Ethnicity cultural defence, cultural transition, migration/immigration. Bruce, Pryce, Modood.
 Social Class marginality, relative deprivation, theodicy of disprivilege. Weber, Stark and
Bainbridge, Norris and Inglehart.
 New Age self-spirituality, pilgrims and converts, new religious movements, cultic movement.
Hervieu-Leger, Brown, Wallis.
 Church and denomination detraditionalisation, disenchantment, church, denomination, sect,
community. Lyotard.

Assess the view that religion inhibits social change. (33 marks) (January 2013)

 New Age detraditionalisation and self-spirituality, NRMs. Heelas, Wallis.

 Fundamentalism New Christian Right. Bruce.
 Political/religious change liberation theology, principle of hope, Poland and Islam. Bruce, Bloch
and Maduro.
 Religious group change Protestant ethic, ascetic religion, and predestination. Weber, Redding.
 Marxism capitalism, ISA and RSA, hegemony. Marx, Gramsci and Althusser.
 Feminism ideology, patriarchy. El Saadawi, Holm, Woodhead.

Evaluate the role of New Age movements in society today. (33 marks) (January 2013)

 Supports marginalised groups community, marginality, relative deprivation, schism, and new
religious Movement. Stark and Bainbridge, Weber, Norris and Inglehart.
 NRMS world- affirming, world-rejecting, world-accommodating. Wallis.
 Inner development audience and client cults. Stark and Bainbridge, Heelas, Brown.
 Reaction to modernity Heelas, Hervieu-Leger.
 Make up for loss of traditional religions conversionist and Adventist sects. Holistic Milieu.
Wilson, Heelas and Woodhead, Troeltsch.

‘The growth of New Age and similar movements is evidence of a spiritual revolution in society
today.’ To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view? (33 marks)
(January 2012)
 Privatisation of belief believing without belonging, declining church attendance. Davie, Lyon,
Bruce (sec in Amer.)
 Growth in NAM mind-body-spirit, self-spirituality, global cafeteria, therapy, self-religions,
holistic milieu. Heelas, Brown, Heelas and Woodhead.
 Types of NRMs and detraditionalisation Wallis, Parsons, Weber.
 Postmodernism/consumerism spiritual shopping, pick and mix religions, religiosity,
detraditionalisation, metanarrative and consumer culture. Lyotard, Hervieu-Leger.
 Only Western countries Stark and Bainbridge, Norris and Inglehart.

Assess the usefulness of functionalist theories in understanding religion today (33 marks) (January
2012)

 Postmodernity individualism, metanarrative. Lyon, Lyotard.

 Marxism/Feminism ideology, patriarchy, oppression, hegemony. Marx, Althusser, Gramsci, El
Saadawi.
 When religion encourages social change/supports oppressed liberation theology, theodicies.
Maduro, Weber.
 Secularisation disenchantment, globalisation, religious pluralism. Weber, Berger.
 Functionalism value consensus, collective conscience, social solidarity, emotional stress, civil
religion. Durkheim, Parsons, Malinowski, Bellah.

‘Religion is still the most significant ideological influence in the world today.’ To what extent do
sociological arguments and evidence support this view?’ (33 marks) (June 2012)

 New Age spirituality self-spirituality, global cafeteria, self-religions, holistic milieu. Heelas,
Brown.
 Marxism and Feminism feminism, Marxism, communism, hegemony. Marx, Gramsci, El Saadawi.
 Fundamentalism/Cosmopolitanism Islamism/media portrayals, fundamentalism, evolution,
intelligent design. Giddens, Gill et al.
 Postmodernism spiritual shopping, pick-and-mix religions, religiosity. Hervieu-Leger, Heelas and
Woodhead.
 End of meta-narratives. Lyotard and Mannheim.
 Science scientific revolutions and the social power of science. Polanyi and Kuhn.

Critically examine sociological views of sects in society today. (33 marks) (June 2012)

 Social groups it attracts marginality, relative deprivation. Norris and Inglehart, Stark and
Bainbridge.
 What it offers to members theodicy of disprivilege, world-affirming, world-rejecting NRMs.
Weber, Wallis.
 Links to postmodernity client cults, audience cults, New Age, individualism. Stark and
Bainbridge, Heelas and Woodhead, Hervieu-Leger.
 Ethnicity cultural defence; cultural transition. Bruce, Pryce.
 Stages sects go through schism, sectarian cycle, conversionist, Adventist sects. Troeltsch,
Niebuhr, Wilson.

Assess the view that, for minority ethnic groups, the practice of religion and membership of
religious groups is mainly a form of cultural defence. (33 marks) (Jan 2011)

 Cultural identity against outsider political influence. Bruce.

 Cultural defence in another country. Bruce, Pryce.
 Cultural hybridity. Modood.
 Fundamentalism, reaction to globalisation and security of faith. Bauman, Giddens.
 Marxism government/social groups defending their power. Marx, El Saadawi, Althusser,
Gramsci.
 Functionalism staying in social values and expectations, value consensus. Durkheim, Parsons.
 Gender and age Voas and Crockett, Miller and Hoffman, Greeley.

Assess the view that religion is a major source of instability and conflict in society today. (33
marks) (Jan 2011)

 Feminism patriarchy, gender inequality, social control, subordination. El Saadawi, Holm,

Woodhead.
 Marxism hegemony. Marx, Althusser.
 Fundamentalism ecumenicalism, New Christian Right. Bruce.
 Examples Civil Rights Movement, Liberation Theology, Principle of Hope, Mussolini. Bruce,
Maduro, Bloch and Bellah.
 Ideologies Lyotard, Mannheim, Gramsci.

Assess the view that secularisation has been a feature only of modern European societies. (33
marks) (June 2011)

 Privatisation of belief believing without belonging. Davie, Lyon.

 Science rationalisation; disengagement. Popper, Horton, Weber.
 Postmodernist consumerism spiritual shopping, pick and mix religions; religiosity; holistic milieu.
Hervieu-Leger, Heelas and Woodhead.
 Level of control religion has in a country structural differentiation, fundamentalism. Parsons,
Giddens.
 Cultural defence/transition Bruce, Pryce, Bruce.
 America ecumenicalism; secularisation in the USA; European exceptionalism. Bruce, Bellah,
Hadaway et al.
 World Wide Stark and Bainbridge, Norris and Inglehart.

Assess the view that new religious movements are mainly for the middle classes and the young.
(33 marks) (June 2011)

 Types of NRM cult; sect; world-rejecting, world-accepting. Wallis, Troeltsch, Niebuhr.

 New Age holistic milieu. Heelas and Woodhead.
 Young relative deprivation; resacrilisation, marginality, millenarian. Weber, Lyon. Voas and
Crockett.
 Postmodernism spiritual shoppers, pick and mix religion. Hervieu-Leger, Davie, Norris and
Inglehart.
 Middle Class theodicy of disprivilege and globalisation. Stark and Bainbridge,
 Gender Heelas, Brown.

Hyperlinks for facts

https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/religion-and-belief-some-surveys-and-statistics/

http://www.pewforum.org/