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• Explain three theories of culture using the cartoon shown today.
• Explain Geertz’s definition of religion using examples from any two religious traditions.
• What is ideology? Explain using examples from the Parkland high school students, and the Star Trek religion from Futurama.
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7. Culture + Power
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HALLOWE’EN!1. Celtic (Irish) festival Oct 31
➡ Harvest, end of Autumn
➡ Physical and spiritual worlds come close
➡ Light bonfires to stay safe
➡ “Pagan”
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HALLOWE’EN!2. “All Saints Day” (or “All Hallows Day”)
➡ Catholic ritual (5th C?); originally in May
➡ Honour saints, pray for souls in purgatory
➡ Move to Nov 1 (8th C?)
➡ All Hallows Even = Oct 31 (replace Celtic ritual)
➡ Colonialism / syncretism / change
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HALLOWE’EN!3. “Souling” (ca. 1400s?)
➡ Medieval Catholic ritual (England, Ireland)
➡ Turnip lanterns! (=souls)
➡ Asking neighbours for prayers for trapped souls
➡ Asking for “soul cakes,” bread, charity
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What am I?
Today
• Field Research Analysis
• Culture
1. Hybridity/syncretism
2. Theories of culture
3. Field research exercise
• Power
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• Outline + group photo due Nov. 8
• Late contracts due Nov. 8
• Final field research analysis due Nov. 29
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Field ResearchQuercus documents for Outline:
1. Instructions + example
2. Form
Tutorial homework next week (Nov. 4):
• Bring draft of completed Field Research Outline Form (2 copies)
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Field Research Outline
Quercus documents for Analysis:
1. Instructions
2. Advice
3. Theories
4. Sample Paragraphs
5. Grading Rubric
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Field Research Analysis
• Question: “What do your observations of the religious service reveal about that service in relation to 2 theories of power?” (or gender or culture)
• NOT looking for “correct answers”
• Offer an interpretation of the data
• Construct an argument based on evidence
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Field Research Analysis
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Field Research Analysis
• 5 paragraphs:
1. Description of observations 1
2. Analysis of observations 1
3. Description of observations 2
4. Analysis of observations 2
5. Reflection
Pattern 1
Theory 1
Pattern 2
Theory 2
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Field Research Outline
• Title page info
• All observations
➡ At least 15 (bullet points ok)
• Paragraphs 1 + 2
➡ Description + analysis (include citations)
• Paragraphs 3 + 4
➡ Description + analysis (include citations)
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Paragraphs 1 and 2:
Paragraph 1: Description
Theme/ Pattern 1
Observations 1
Paragraph 2: Analysis
Theory 1 (include citations!)
Analysis 1 (include evidence!)
Paragraphs 3 and 4:
Paragraph 3: Description
Theme/ Pattern 2
Observations 2
Paragraphs 3 and 4:
Paragraph 3: Description
Theme/ Pattern 2
Observations 2
Paragraph 4: Analysis
Theory 2 (include citations!)
Analysis 2 (include evidence!)
Grading Each element of the Field Research Outline Form is worth 2 marks except Theme/Pattern 1 and Theme/Pattern 2, which are each worth 1 mark.
Item Grade (after penalty)
Penalty
Title Page (2 marks) Missing information (0.5 marks per missing item)
Field Research Observations (2 marks)
Less than 15 observations (1)
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Name that religion!
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1. Big picture stuff:
➡ What is “culture”?
➡ What do we study?
2. Specific theories:
➡ How do we study religion and culture?
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Culture
• What is “culture”?
➡ Everything!
• What do we study (when we study culture)?
➡ Everything!
• Religions change over time, culture, etc.
➡ Hybridity; three Christianities; Muslim bride in Bulgaria
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Culture Culture
• Culture / religion: always changing➡ Hybridity (syncretism) = mix of different
cultures / religions (e.g., James Clifford)
➡ New circumstances/ideas/technology (not necessarily the same as hybridity)
➡ Result of mixing is often hard to understand / predict
➡ May be very POSITIVE 24
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Anchored by a strong Jewish identity and driven by a mission to connect Jews around the globe with their heritage through music, professional
Jewish a cappella group Six13 are the originators of today’s Jewish a cappella sound.
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Culture
• Probably non-useful theories for assignment:
➡ Culture is what people do (Hall)
➡ Each group has its own culture (Tylor)
➡ Religion as “social glue” (Durkheim)
➡ Religion can also create divisions (Nye)
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Culture
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• Possibly useful theories for assignment:
➡ Sub-cultures and resistance (Hebdige)
➡ Power: popular vs. elite (Williams/Hall)
➡ Change/hybridity/syncretism (various)
➡ Religion = society (Durkheim)
➡ Religion = symbols, factuality, etc. (Geertz)
Durkheim’s theory: “religion is merely society perceiving itself,
misunderstanding that the sacred basis of the group is simply the sum of the social
whole.” (Nye p. 45)
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Culture
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• Possibly useful theories for assignment:
➡ Sub-cultures and resistance (Hebdige)
➡ Power: popular vs. elite (Williams/Hall)
➡ Change/hybridity/syncretism (various)
➡ Religion = society (Durkheim)
➡ Religion = symbols, factuality, etc. (Geertz)
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Clifford Geertz: Religion is a “system of symbols, which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and
long lasting moods and motivations in men [people] by formulating conceptions of a general
order of existence and clothing those conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the
moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.” (Nye p. 47)
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Man: “And Scotty beamed them to the Klingon ship, where they would be no tribble at all.”
Everyone: “All power to the engines.”
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naturalistic anecdote it’s the details that sell your story
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
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Bhagavad Gita
Jesus: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out
demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them.”
(Mark 16:17-18)
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Field Research Exercise!
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Syncretism/Hybridity
• Your field research: which elements seem “traditional” and which seem “Canadian”?
• Examples of possible “Canadian” cultural elements?
➡ Use your judgement, make a reasonable case why something might not be “traditional” to the religion
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Syncretism/Hybridity
• Key question: What does hybridity mean? (It’s not enough to just identify hybridity.)
• Questions to think about:
➡ In what ways is this religion open to CHANGE?
➡ In what ways is it NOT open to change? (These parts might be more “sacred”?)
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Popular Religion
• Steven Sutcliffe (Nye p. 36-39)
• Popular culture
➡ Music, videos, technology, etc.
➡ Different from “elite” culture
• Note: Popular religion is NOT the same as cultural/religious hybridity
• In what ways is this religion open to change? In what ways is it not open to change?
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Indigenous? Non-Indigenous?language? language?
drum clothing
blankets coffee cup + water bottles
natural items on blanket jar on blanket
feather video camera
plants in pan + bowl frying pan
location? folding chair
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Indigenous? Non-Indigenous?language? language?
drum clothing
blankets coffee cup + water bottles
natural items on blanket jar on blanket
feather video camera
plants in pan + bowl frying pan
location? folding chair
Descriptive Paragraph
• Topic sentences:
➡ Ceremony included a mix of apparently non-Indigenous elements (artificial items) and Indigenous elements (natural items)
• Rest of paragraph:
➡ Describe which items fit which category (Ind. or non-Ind.) and how they were used in the ceremony
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Analytical Paragraph
• Topic sentences:
➡ Identify the theory you will use to analyze the data (e.g., syncretism/hybridity)
• Rest of paragraph:
➡ Explain theory
➡ Use theory to analyze your observations (i.e., what do you think your observations might mean?)
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Power!
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General
• Power: social, political, economic
• Power relations exist in all human communities and institutions
➡ Including religion!
➡ (No special treatment by scholars)
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General
• Power relations are complex➡ Power is not inherently “bad”
➡ Create, sustain power
➡ Subvert, resist power
➡ People / institutions with power in some contexts may NOT have power in others
➡ Also: equality is still about power
➡ RLG101H? 54
Song!
• “Truth to Power” by OneRepublic (2017)
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I could tell you I was fragile I could tell you I was weak
I could write you out a letter To tell you anything you need
I could tell you I was ageless But I know you see the light
I could tell you I’m immune to everything But that’s a lie
I’ve seen minutes turn to hours Hours turn to years
And I’ve seen truth turn to power
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