1. Chapter 12 Religion and Education

2. Chapter Outline Religion Classical Approaches in the Sociology of Religion The Rise, Decline, and Partial Revival of Religion Religion in the United States and the World

3. Chapter Outline Education Macro-Sociological Processes Micro-Sociological Processes Contested Terrain: Crisis and Reform in U.S. Schools

4. Durkheim’s Theory of Religion Main function of religion is to increase social cohesion.

5. Criticisms of Durkheim Conflict and feminist theorists lodge two criticisms: 1.It overemphasizes religion’s role in maintaining social cohesion. In reality, religion often incites social conflict. 2.It ignores the fact that when religion does increase social cohesion, it often reinforces social inequality.

6. Polling Question Do you believe in God? A.Yes B.No

7. Religion and Social Inequality The routinization of charisma makes religion less responsive to the needs of ordinary people, and often supports social inequalities and injustices. Civil religion: A set of beliefs and practices that bind a population together and justify its way of life.

9. Polling Question What is your current religious affiliation? A. Protestant B. Catholic C. Jewish D. None E. Other

10. Secularization Thesis of Religion Religious institutions, actions, and consciousness are on the decline. Critics: –There has been a religious revival in the U.S. over the past 30 years. –Survey evidence shows religion in the U.S. is resilient.

11. % Who Think Religion Is Very Important, 44 Countries

12. Social Condition of Religion

13. Church, Sect, and Cult Integration into society Bureaucratization ChurchHigh SectMediumLow CultLow

14. Church, Sect, and Cult LongevityLeaders ChurchHighFormally trained SectLowCharismatic CultLowCharismatic

15. Religious Preference, United States, 2000

16. Religious Preference by Class, United States, 2000

17. How Often Americans Attend Religious Services, 1972–2000 Age Less than once a month Once a month or more 18–295842 30–395248 40–495051 50–594555 60–694258 70_4060

18. How Often Americans Attend Religious Services, 1972–2000 Race Less than once a month Once a month or more White5149 Black 3862

19. Education

20. Opening Colleges to Everyone Before World War II, most colleges were limited to the children of a wealthy elite. After the war educators argued the country would be stronger if colleges admitted capable students regardless of background or ability to pay. Beginning with the GI Bill, federal and state governments assisted these efforts.

21. Class Privilege in College Admissions Students receive admission points if a parent graduated from the college to which they are applying. –Example: President George W. Bush was accepted at Yale with an SAT score of 1206. Students benefit when parents contribute money to the colleges their children want to attend.

22. Polling Question How far do you intend to go in school? A.Two years of college B.Four years of college C.Master's degree D.Professional degree (law, medicine, dentistry) E.Ph.D.

23. Views on Affirmative Action: Advocates Compensates for historical injustices such as slavery and expulsion. Helps create a level playing field for all races and ethnic groups. Encourages diversity on college campuses. Creates a middle-class leadership group in minority communities.

24. Views on Affirmative Action: Opponents We should not have to pay for wrongs committed 300 years ago. Note that colleges apply affirmative action criteria to rich and poor members of selected minority groups.

25. Views on Class Privilege Advocates of special treatment for the well-to- do: –Without the generosity of the alumni, college tuition could increase by as much as two thirds. –Everyone who goes to college benefits from the money brought in through legacy and development admissions.

26. Views on Class Privilege Advocates of meritocracy: –Oppose special treatment for any group. –Believe the only fair system is one in which talent alone determines college admission.

27. Polling Question What is the highest level of education completed by your mother? A. Below high school B. High school graduate C. Some college or postsecondary training D. College degree E. Graduate or professional degree F. Don't know

28. Manifest Functions of Schools Train and socialize students. Create social cohesion. Transmit culture from generation to generation. Sort students, presumably by merit.

29. Latent Functions of Schools Create a youth culture and a marriage market. Create a custodial and surveillance system for children. Maintain wage levels by keeping students out of the job market. Occasionally becoming a “school of dissent” that opposes authorities.

30. Effects of Economic Inequality on Education Schools of widely differing quality. Families with varying access to resources for the support of children. Children enter school with differing levels of preparation and eagerness to learn.

31. How Social Background and IQ Influence Inequality

32. % with Four or More Years of College

33. Father’s Occupation and Chances of Completing College Chance of completing college Father’s Occupation Median Scores Scores in Top 14% Professional3881 Manager2682 Clerical/sales1865 Skilled blue collar1560 Unskilled blue collar1254

34. Average SAT Scores for College-Bound Seniors Race or Ethnicity NativeAsianAfrican Verbal 481501433 Math 479566426 Total 9601067859

35. Average SAT Scores for College-Bound Seniors Race or Ethnicity Mexican Puerto Rican Other Hispanic Other White Verbal451457460529 Math458451465531 Total9099089251060

36. Self-fulfilling Prophecies in the Education System Teachers’ expectations that certain students will do poorly often result in poor student performance. Teachers’ expectations that certain students will do well often result in good student performance.

37. Estimated Lifetime Earnings by Educational Attainment

38. Credential Inflation The need for more certification and diplomas to qualify for a given job. Fueled by increasing technical requirements of many jobs. A means of excluding people from professions to maintain high standards and income levels.

39. Some Effects of Comprehensive Preschool on 21 Year Olds (98% African American)

40. Major Reforms Proposed for American Schools Mentoring Giving students in poor schools vouchers that would allow them to attend private schools. Redistributing and increasing school budgets. Substantially improving the social environment of young, disadvantaged children before and outside school.

41. Quick Quiz

42. 1. Which of the following is a criticism frequently lodged against Durkheim's theory of religion? a. Religion often heightens the sense of belonging to certain groups. b. Religion often incites social conflict. c. Religion often reinforces social inequality. d. Religion often incites social conflict, and religion often reinforces social inequality

43. Answer: d The ideas that religion often incites social conflict, and religion often reinforces social inequality are criticisms frequently lodged against Durkheim's theory of religion.

44. 2. A civil religion is: a. a religion that encourages its members to participate actively in the political arena b. a religion that does not discriminate on the basis of race, class, gender, or sexual orientation c. a religion that contributes to social change d. a set of quasi-religious beliefs and practices that binds the population and justifies its way of life

45. Answer: d A civil religion is a set of quasi- religious beliefs and practices that binds the population and justifies its way of life.

46. 3. According to the secularization thesis: a. religious institutions, actions, and conscious are on the decline worldwide b. religious institutions, actions, and conscious are likely to disappear in the near future c. religiosity is negatively correlated with level of economic development d. Communist governments, which promoted atheism, lowered the level of religiosity in their countries

47. Answer : a According to the secularization thesis: religious institutions, actions, and conscious are on the decline worldwide.

48. 4. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a cult? a. Cults are groups of people committed to a religious vision that rejects mainstream culture and society. b. Cults are generally led by charismatic individuals. c. Cults tend to recruit members from all segments of the stratification system. d. Cults tend to disappear after a relatively short period of time.

49. Answer: c The following is not a characteristic of a cult: –Cults tend to recruit members from all segments of the stratification system.

50. 5. The routinization of charisma is Weber's term for the transformation of divine enlightenment into a permanent feature of everyday life. a. True b. False

51. Answer: a The routinization of charisma is Weber's term for the transformation of divine enlightenment into a permanent feature of everyday life.

52. 6. Affirmative action in college admissions refers to the practice of: a. offering of financial support to students from poor backgrounds b. giving preference to students who have a parent who graduated from the college to which they are applying c. giving preference to applicants from minority groups d. all of these choices

53. Answer : c Affirmative action in college admissions refers to the practice of giving preference to applicants from minority groups.

54. 7. In the United States, students routinely receive admission points that enhance their chances of being admitted if they have a parent who graduated from the college to which they are applying. a. True b. False

55. Answer: a In the United States, students routinely receive admission points that enhance their chances of being admitted if they have a parent who graduated from the college to which they are applying.

56. 8. Which of the following is a latent function that schools accomplish unintentionally? a. serving as a "marriage market" by bringing potential mates together b. keeping children under surveillance and freeing parents to work c. both of these choices

57. Answer : c Serving as a "marriage market" by bringing potential mates together and keeping children under surveillance and freeing parents to work are latent functions that schools accomplish unintentionally.

58. 9. Self-fulfilling prophecies in the educational system: a. reinforce the effects of background factors b. reduce the effects of background factors c. help reproduce existing patterns of inequality d. none of these choices e. reinforce the effects of background factors, and help reproduce existing patterns of inequality

59. Answer: e Self-fulfilling prophecies in the educational system reinforce the effects of background factors, and help reproduce existing patterns of inequality.

60. 10. Credential inflation takes place because family background continues to serve as a way of restricting access to high-status occupations. a. True b.False

61. Answer: b Credential inflation does not take place because family background continues to serve as a way of restricting access to high-status occupations.