...INSTITUTION: University of Botswana FACULTY: Faculty of Education DEPARTMENT: Department of Primary Education PROGRAMME: Bachelor of Education Primary COURSE: Sociology of Religion COURSE CODE: TRS 315 Assignment: identify either Karl Marxx or Max Weber and compare his ideas with any other theorist who expressed his/her views on religion. Names: Oabona Moses Sello ID #: 201204434 Due date: April 15 2014 Introduction This essay intends to explicitly compare Karl Marx and Emile David Durkheim ideas on religion from a sociological and functionalist perspective. Functionalists’ belief that religion is beneficial for both the community and its members e.g. it unifies the society which in turn gives each individual member a source of support when they need it. It will begin with their brief historical backgrounds, definition of religion as well as their similarities and differences in studying it. Karl Marx Marx was born in Prussia on May 5, 1818. He began exploring sociopolitical theories at university among the Young Hegelians. He became a journalist, and his socialist writings would get him expelled from Germany and France. In 1848, he published The Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels and was exiled to London, where he wrote the first volume of Das Kapital and lived the remainder of his life (Engels, 1869). Marx is considered as one of the founders of economic history and sociology. Emile Durkheim According to Jones (1986) “David Emile Durkheim was born in...
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...| What is a Reconstituted Family? | A reconstituted family is a family that consists of a mother and her children from one family and a father and his children from another family joining together through marriage. | | What is meant by the term 'industrialisation'? | When the industry changed from being one of agriculture to one where factories, shops, markets and healthcare was provided. This is the process of Structural Differentiation. | | What does cohabitation mean? | Cohabitation is where people live together without being married, it is also seen as a 'trial' marriage. | | The definintion of the 'Warm Bath Theory' | The Warm Bath Theory is... After a long, stressful and tiring day at work, going home to your family or household is said to relax you like a warm bath would. | | Who came up with the 'Warm Bath Theory'? | Parsons was the one who believed that the warm bath theory was an important major function of the family (stress reliever). | | What is Primary Socialisation? | Primary socialisation is where the family teaches the children the values and norms of society and the behaviour that is acceptable and unacceptable. | | What is meant by an Instrumental Leader? | The instrumental leader within the family is the male as he goes to work to earn money and provide for his family. | | Who identifield the Instrumental and Expressive Leader? | Parsons identifield the Instrumental and Expressive Leader. | | What is meant by an Expressive Leader? |...
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...Marxism is a perspective based around the ideas of Karl Marx. Similarly to Durkheim, Marx believed that it was possible to understand society scientifically and that this knowledge would point the way to a better society. However unlike functionalists, Marx did not see progress as a smooth and gradual evolution. Instead he saw historical change as a contradictory process, in which capitalism would increase human misery before giving way to a classless communist society in which human beings would be free to fulfill their potential. After Marx’s death, his ideas formed the basis of communism, a political movement that was enormously influential in shaping the modern world. Marx believed that, over time as the world developed and the forces of production grew, a division of labour developed, which eventually formed the two classes, a class that owns the means of production and a class of labourers. He argues that in the earliest stages of society, there were no classes, private ownership or exploitation, Everyone worked together and everything is shared. He identifies three successive class societies; The ancient society, the Feudal society and the Capitalist society. He also argues that capitalism means that their is an unfair exchange between the class that owns the means of production and the class of labourers. He argues that the labourers (proletariat) do not receive the value of the good that they produced, but only the cost of subsidence, and that the difference between the...
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...Assess the Marxist views of society (33 marks) When looking at the Marxists views of society there are three main theorists to look at, Marx, Gramsci and Althusser. All of these theorists focus on how capitalism has been maintained in many societies and how eventually it will be over thrown. Both Gramsci and Althusser’s ideas originate from the works of Karl Marx who, unlike functionalist Emile Durkheim, saw no evolutionary progress of society but a gradual change in which capitalism would increase human misery. Marx suggested that capitalism needed to replaced by ideas such as communism. He looked at historical materialism and suggested that our society is altered by forces of production from the base and the superstructure. He argues that capitalist production forms the economic base and this ultimately shapes our superstructure, like institutions, religion, law and education. However, Althusser criticises this for being too simplistic and suggests a more complex two way causality model. He argues there are three levels; Economic level: comprising all those activities that involve producing something in order to satisfy and need. Political level: comprising all forms of organisation. And the Ideological level: involving the ways that people see themselves and their world. He believes each level can affect each other and impact different choices and beliefs on each level. This approach discourages political action because it is the role of structural forces rather than...
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...Luc Saint-Preux History 3005 6/26/14 The question was asked if Global society was mainly shaped by the ideas of the Enlightenment period rather than other world views i.e. religion in the 1900. I do not believe Global society was mainly shaped by Enlightenment ideas rather than religion, however I do believe that this movement has had impact on society. The Enlightenment era was based on theories that reject religion. They views of answering to a higher calling and worshipping someone who is unseen. Enlightenment theorist believed that man made their own destiny. They believed that man could make their own rules to govern themselves instead of biblical beliefs and conducts. Enlightenment was brought on by the age of science. It originated in European countries. According to “Ways of the World” Robert Strayer states Growing numbers of people believe that the long-term outcome of scientific development would be “Enlightenment” a term that has come to define the eighteenth century in European history. If human reason could discover the laws that governed the universe, surely it could uncover ways in which humankind might govern itself more effectively” (745). Enlightenment theorist discourages religions views and encourage gaining knowledge to evolve human society. They didn’t believe in superstition, politics and corruption of established religion. According to Stayer “The central theme of Enlightenment and what mad it potentially revolutionary was the idea of progress...
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...law, the police and other forms of authority. • The rich also control the manufacture of ideas about society through controlling the media and education so poor people are taught to believe that capitalism is a good thing. Key questions (AO1) What is the Marxist view of society? (AO1) What causes inequality according to Marxists? (AO2) What are the strengths of the Marxist view? (AO2) What are the weaknesses of the Marxist view of inequality? Summary of Key Points Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) was an economist, philosopher and journalist who was motivated by concern for workers who were experiencing terrible poverty while all around was great wealth and power. He was a revolutionary who believed in working for a classless society. Marxism was not a powerful force in sociology until the 1960s and 1970s when it formed the basis of a challenge to functionalism. It offered a better account of the divisions of society at that time than functional sociology did. Marxism also triggered many of the ideas that were adopted by feminists later in the 1970s. Marxism is often referred to as a conflict theory. Functionalists see society as consisting of shared values. Marxists see society as being divided by conflict between the social groups, or classes who make up society. Marx believed that social change is the natural order of societies. In each form of society there are those who control property...
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...FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITI SELANGOR BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (HONS) TESL CPS 2313 EDUCATION SOCIOLOGY ASSIGNMENT: THEORIES AND RESEARCH IN EDUCATION SOCIOLOGY PREPARED BY: MOHAMAD AZHAARI SHAH BIN SULAIMAN 4123003611 IZZAT WAZZIR IMAN BIN 4123000401 PREPARED FOR: TUAN HAJI BAGHAWI SARBINI 2.1 Definition of Educational Sociology Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) who is regarded as the ‘father’ of sociology of education clearly defines sociology of education as “a systematic study sociological perspective”. This definition of sociology of education is suitable because it speaks much of what goes on in education system. It clearly states that it is important to know sociology before knowing what sociology of education is. This is because sociology is related sociology of education. The statement “sociological perspective” stresses the social context in which people live such as society. Society is a group of people who share a certain culture and a territory. Perspective is a view of the world and it is referred to as a sociological preservative or sociological imagination. Durkheim’s statement helps us to understand that sociological perspective opens a window to another world or unfamiliar world. As we look at other world or our own, sociological imagination casts another form of light on us. This in return enables us to gain a new vision of social life. In other words it helps us to find out why people do what they do like...
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...Functionalism has given a useful understanding of society, despite its limitations. Functionalists describe society using an organic analogy; they say society is like a biological organism. Parsons found three similarities between society and an organism. System organisms such as the human body and society are both self-regulating and inter-related, independent parts fit together in fixed ways. In the body these are organs; in society they are institutions, such as family and education. Both organisms have system needs for example an organism needs nutrition without which it would die. Social systems have basic needs for example members of society need to be socialized. Both society and organisms function to contribute to meeting the systems needs and thus ensure survival. For example the circulatory systems delivers oxygen to cells, similarly the economy in society helps meet the needs for food and shelter. Parsons argues the central question sociology tries to answer is how is social order possible? Parsons argues social order is achieved through the existence of a shared value system. A culture is a set of norms, values, beliefs and goals shared by members of society. It provides a framework enabling individuals to cooperate by laying down rules about how to behave and what others expect of them, defining goals they should pursue and so on. Social order is only possible so long as members of society agree on these norms and values. This agreement is called value consensus...
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...Are you a communist? No, a citizen of the United States of America can’t be a communist. But Karl Marx was a communist, or at least he founded some of the main principles of communism, and Karl Marx firmly believed in some of the things that make this country what it is, like equality. But, Karl Marx was still a great political philosopher of his time, and a humanitarian. To really understand the principles of Marx’s teachings one would have to study him, or at least read an essay that describes Marx’s life. There are three key elements to understanding Marx they are his childhood and education, the people that had the greatest influence on him, and his writings. At 2:00 A.M. of May 5, 1818, the life of the greatest political philosopher began. He was born in the Rhine province of Prussia, and was born to Henriette and Hirschel Marx (Payne 17). Hirschel Marx was a rich lawyer, and he was also a Jew (World Book Encyclopedia 236M). On August 26, 1824 Karl and his whole family were baptized, so his family turned away from its traditional Jewish teachings to Protestant Christianity (Payne 21). At the age of twelve Karl entered the Friedrich Wilhiem Gymnasium. He stayed there for five years excelling in foreign languages, but not really caring about mathematics and history (Payne 23). Karl’s father decided that Karl would attend the University of Bonn to study law (World Book Encyclopedia 236M). Karl became an active member of “poetry clubs,” while studying at the University...
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...production and resource allocation, as well as how Western Marxism has shaped community development. In this essay I will also discuss how Marxist theory has identified that the working class are to be exploited by the bourgeoisie and the only way to improve society is to dismantle the capitalist society and install a socialist society. Marxist theory is based on Karl Marx’s theory of the struggle of the working class people selling their labour to the bourgeoisie – the capitalists – and their oppression by the welfare system. Marx believed that the rich bourgeoisie exploited the working class and the only way to stop this exploitation was to overthrow the capitalist system with socialism. The only real difference between capitalism and socialism is that private property rights and voluntary exchange define capitalism, whereas socialism is based around collective ownership of the means of production, which is owned by the state (Butgereit and Carden 2011, p41). Marx took this theory further, with the hope that once the capitalist system was overthrown, the socialist society would be based on a classless, stateless, moneyless society heading into low-level communism. Community development is the development and utilisation of a set of ongoing structures that allow the community to meet its own needs (McArdle 1993, p2). It is about empowering...
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...this worldly desire for such dreamland. But does one have to die to live in this uncertain utopia after living morally on earth? Many argue that with the right combination of certain social and economical policies, we actually don’t have to wait till afterlife to live in an ideal society. This paper will present the classic theories and contemporary arguments circulating the essential elements of societies and from these arguments, construing what elements are most important that could be used to create an ideal society. In order to part away from the religious view that heaven can only exist in the hereafter, we try to establish a scientific explanation of how we as human beings have come to existence through the process of evolution. This theory appeals significantly to us for at least two reasons. First, it gives some of us who aren’t as religious a more satisfying validation of our origin and our destination. This view opposes Max Weber’s description of a Calvinist who always suffers great inner loneliness due to his ambiguous predestined fate. Second, the theory of evolution is in alignment with our positive and pre-established perception of progress and improvement. In his book An Inquiry into the Nature of Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776), Adam Smith illustrates in details how to achieve progress and improvement in production through the concept of division of labor. Smith states that the division of labor not only improves how we are manufacturing goods but also creates...
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...Introduction This essay intends to explicitly compare Karl Marx and Emile David Durkheim ideas on religion from a sociological and functionalist perspective. Functionalists’ belief that religion is beneficial for both the community and its members e.g. it unifies the society which in turn gives each individual member a source of support when they need it. It will begin with their brief historical backgrounds, definition of religion as well as their similarities and differences in studying it. Karl Marx Marx was born in Prussia on May 5, 1818. He began exploring sociopolitical theories at university among the Young Hegelians. He became a journalist, and his socialist writings would get him expelled from Germany and France. In 1848, he published The Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels and was exiled to London, where he wrote the first volume of Das Kapital and lived the remainder of his life (Engels, 1869). Marx is considered as one of the founders of economic history and sociology. Emile Durkheim According to Jones (1986) “David Emile Durkheim was born in France, on April 15, 1857 and raised in a Jewish family with his father as a rabbi. Emile was, thus destined for the rabbinate, and a part of his early education was spent in a rabbinical school” (p.12). Durkheim is considered the father of modern sociology and well known for his work on Division of Labour in 1912. Definition of Religion Both Marx and Durkheim have rather contrasting definitions of what religion...
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...MARX and WEBER on SOCIAL CLASS: an OVERVIEW. INTRODUCTION These notes, based on previous lectures, attempt to set in context the views of two scholars who wrote on social class at an interval of almost fifty years but whose insights have remained highly influential. These two men are: Karl Marx (1818-1883) German, but worked in London from 1849 onwards wrote on class in the 1840s and through to the 1860s and 1870s. statements on class appear in The Communist Manifesto, (published in 1848; jointly written with Friedrich Engels) The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon, (published in 1869, but written earlier) Das Kapital Volume I, (published in 1867) Das Kapital Volumes II and III, (published posthumously and edited by Engels) and Max Weber (1864-1920) German, wrote on class 1910-1920 statements on class appear in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, (first published as a two-part essay in 1904 and 1905; revised by Weber before his death and published as a book, 1920; English translation by Talcott Parsons, 1930) Economy and Society, (published posthumously in 1922) Neither man made a complete statement of his views. In both cases the manuscript is breaks off before the discussion of social class is finished. MARX AND SOCIAL CLASS Marx made more than one statement of his views. The best-known...
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...class can be homogenised for having the same experiences facing inequalities. The more power you have the less inequalities you have, this is why the working classes face more than the upper classes. Marxists would disagree with Weber as he under played the role of social class, Marx argued it was the source of inequality, they don’t place any focus on the other factors Weber identifies. Functionalists disagree with both Marx and Weber as Durkheim believed that ‘inequalities’ are just differences. They also say that those differences can be overcome because it’s down to the individuals themselves. They don’t believe that society creates the inequalities for people but that individuals create them for themselves. Weber was influenced by Karl Marx and became the third founding father of sociology, he is known has the ghost of Marx due to the high similarity between the theories. Weber’s theory is a mix of structuralism and interactionism, showing elements of both Marxism and Functionalism within it. Weber believed that society as well as the individual can influence behaviour, but also that behaviour can influence the institutions. He also saw class and status as being two different concepts, unlike Marx, meaning that you could have status without having class and class without having status. Status is the relative social or professional position; standing. Class is known as the system of ordering society whereby people are divided into sets based on perceived social or economic...
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...contrast the Functionalist and Marxist perspective to our understanding of society The Functionalist perspective to our society is that we are controlled by society by aspects of our society such as media, religion, education and government to name a few. Auguste Comte developed a theory known as the organic analogy which explained that each part of society played a vital role in making the body of society work coherently, for example the education system may represent the brain as it is this which teaches us not only what to think but how to think. Marxism is comparable in the way that it is also a structural theory and that society controls us all via social control and sanctions however Marxism focuses on the brainwashing of the proletariat by the media, so that we are indoctrinated into believing what society wants us think and also the control of social inequality so that society maintains itself and the relations of production continue. Louis Althusser, a Marxist developed the idea of “ideological state apparatus”, this idea that the ideological state apparatuses, such as churches, schools, family, media and such reinforce the rule of bourgeoisie over the proletariat primarily through ideology in form of norms and values. This demonstrates the view that we are controlled by society as it teaches us and forces it's norms and values on us in order for us to conform to the group, although this is a Marxist point it also is identical to the Functionalist perspective. ...
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