Please enable JavaScript.

Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.

Topic 3- carrying on - Coggle Diagram

- - - - The Branch Davidians were a New Religious Movement (NRM) led by David Koresh in Waco.
      - Key points for AQA Sociology
        
        They were a sect-like NRM with a charismatic leader.
        
        Koresh claimed to have special religious authority.
        
        Members lived separately from wider society in a religious community.
        
        The group believed in apocalyptic ideas (the end of the world).
      - Significance: In 1993, there was a conflict between the group and U.S. government agents at Waco. The siege ended in a fire that killed many members.
      - Sociologists use the Branch Davidians as an example of:
        
        how NRMs can become isolated from society,
        
        the importance of charismatic leadership,
        
        and how conflict with authorities can develop.
- - - - Marginality:
        -Weber argued that sects tended to develop amongst marginal groups in society, people outside the mainstream of social life who felt they were not receiving the status and economic rewards they deserved.
        -These sects tended to develop a theodicy of disprivilege- a religious explanation and justification for their disadvantage, often promising salvation in the afterlife.
        -Wilson argues that situations such as a defeat in war, natural disaster and economic collapse could lead to groups becoming marginalised and turning to new religion. Groups included poor black Americans.
        -Wallis although most of the members were drawn from young, white mc people, despite their backgrounds many of these recruits were marginal to society, they often were drug users, hippies etc.
        
        EVALUATION:
        -baker found while studying the religious groups, the moonies that most membership of NRMs came from happy, mc homes. This suggests membership of NRMs is not only confined to the lower levels of society. However, Wallis argues that this doesn't contradict marginality theory as many of the recruits had become marginalised because they were hippies.
      - Relative deprivation:
        -Wallis believes that in the 1960s a significant number of young people felt spiritually deprived in a world they saw as too materialistic and impersonal. Sects and cults offered them an opportunity to regain a sense of spiritual wholeness.
      - Social change:
        -Wilson argues that sects arise during periods of rapid social change when traditional norms are disrupted and social relationships come to lack consistent meaning.
        -An early example of this is the methodist movement, which started off as a sect. This movement could be seen as a response of the urban wc to the chaos and uncertainty of life in the new industrial towns and cities. It offered support to those trying to make sense of, and survive in, the new hostile environment.
        -Bruce sees the development of sects and cults as a reaction to modernisation and secularisation. As a conventional institutional religion has lost its influence, people have turned to alternatives.
        -More recently, as people have lost strong beliefs and commitments, cults have become popular because they generally require fewer sacrifices and little religious observance.
        
        EVALUATION:
        -Stark and Bainbridge analysed the % in the USA in different time periods during the first 3 quarters of the C20th. They found that 16% were formed in the 1950s, a period of stability, 14% in the 1960s and only 3% from 1970-77. The 1960s and 70s were a time of social unrest with student demonstrations, the hippie movement, black riots and the Vietnam war. This sees to question the view sects develop during periods of social change. However, stark and Bainbridge used a limited definition of a sect- a breakaway from established religion. A broader definition may result in different figures and a different conclusion.