Sociology › Section O · Religion › Topic O.1
The sociological approach to religion
Religion shapes how billions of people mark birth, marriage and death, and how they think about right and wrong. Sociologists study what religion does in social life and how societies shape it, without judging whether any faith's beliefs are true.
In this topic
- Religion as a social institution
- Experience, beliefs and rituals
- Durkheim: the sacred and the profane
- Weber: religion as a source of change
- Marx: religion and inequality
- Three perspectives on religion today
- Rational choice theory of religion
- Worked example: a community funeral
- Worked example: choosing a congregation
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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