POLI 476 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Collective Effervescence, Civil Religion
14 Apr 2016
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Durkheim"s deiniion is very disinct there"s no menion of meaning or the supernatural. Emphasises the sacred/profane divide and collecive nature of worship. It"s deeply rooted in the idea of social cohesion. Object being worshipped less important than process of worshipping together with collecive, efervescent energy. Individuals classiied creatures/animals because they had examples of classiicaion take from society. Religion is a source of thought and knowledge, but this thought and knowledge is rooted in society. Durkheim believes that science will eventually replace religion as source of meaning and order in society, leading to erosion of religious values. In the process of this transiion, the tradiional bonds (esp. religion) that hold us together will fall apart, which will be destabilising and anxiety inducing. Hammond"s deiniion of civic religion: any set of beliefs and rituals relaing to past, present and/or future of a people or naion which are understood in some transcendental fashion.
