Modernity, Postmodernity

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Modernity, Postmodernity Religion
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What happens to religion in the post modern era?

• Steve Bruce under modernity religion becomes
  less important because science and
  rationalisation take its place.
• So What happens in the Post Modern Era some
  argue that religion reemerges.

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Anthony Giddens religious revival

• Giddens argues that the following happens in an
  era of high modernity (what many people call post
  modernity)
• Reflexivity people become increasing willing to
  change beliefs in order to improve their lives.
  They do this through critically analysing their
  lives Sociology is part of this process.
• Separation of Time Space New technology
  enables relationships to take place at times and
  distances previously no possible through
  inventions like the internet, mobile phones etc
• Disembedding what happens to people at a local
  level might be the result of something that
  happened in another part of the world e.g.
  Chernobol nuclear plant disaster in the former
  USSR meant that land became unusuable for sheep
  farmers in Wales.
• Trust in expert systems people no longer trust
  one another instead we trust technology e.g. the
  automatic pilot on an aeroplane.

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Giddens continued

• Giddens argues that high modernity can provide
  the conditions for the reemergence of religion.
• As people become reflexive they may feel that
  life becomes meaningless and therefore will
  return to religion.
• Fundamentalism term has only come into use in
  the last 30 years and so the term itself is a
  high modernity term. Giddens is worried by
  fundamentalism as he believes that they are
  reacting against a globalised world. Giddens
  believes that people who will increasingly come
  into contact with one another will have to be
  more tolerant.

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Zygmunt Bauman Religion post modernity

• Agrees with Giddens that there is increased
  reflexivity.
• People no longer accept that others have
  authority over them.
• There becomes an absence of laws, even though
  people want them.
• In these circumstances people will be more likely
  to turn to religion.

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Paul Heelas post modernity and the new age.

• Heelas argues that the age we are in does appear
  to have the characteristics of post modernity,
  however what we turn to is much more traditional.
• Are we adopting a post modern approach to
  religion or is the religion we turn to
  traditional e.g. new age religions are only new
  to the West

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Conclusion

• Concepts of globalisation and post modernity have
  changed the way Sociologists look at religion.
• Relgion can be seen as an important feature of
  comtemporary society.