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Category: Societal Issues
Date Submitted: 04/11/2013 06:46 AM
Assess sociological explanations of the relationship between globalisation and religion (33 marks)
Globalisation is the term that refers to how interconnected the world is in modern society. This can be shown in many examples and many topics, for example crime (drugs exported from Brazil into small towns in England). Religion is another example, as societies and religions come into closer contact with one another. Due to this, there is potential for religious conflict and for religious diversity and change. Due to modernisation we now have more technology so there is big opportunity to be interconnected with other countries. Giddens argues this increased the importance and strength of globalisation. There is now exposure, as we see more beliefs and religions and therefore we become more accepting to them as they are not so unusual. He also argues globalisation has then lead to cosmopolitanism thinking. Cosmopolitanism is a term which describes people or societies which are tolerant to the views of others as a result of constant exposure to new ideas and values. The conflict view of this is fundamentalism.
Within the relationship of globalisation and religion is Fundamentalism. Fundamentalism describes people or groups that defend tradition and believe in the literal truth of sacred texts; they seek to return back to basics and do not like change. Giddens argues that fundamentalism has grown in reaction to globalisation and a main reason why people are joining fundamentalist movements is because in today’s society individuals are constantly faced with choice, uncertainty and risk. Fundamentalism offers individuals security and gives certainty to an otherwise unknown situation (For example, Religon gives the certainty of afterlife to death). Although fundamentalists hate modernity they contradict themselves as they use modern methods to try get across their point to large audiences. Televangelism is a result of globalisation as new technology and...