Sociology of Religion

Sociology helps people answer a lot of questions about the specifics of their interactions and the development of their community. Religion reflects the people’s visions typical for this or that social group. From this point, religion becomes the object of the sociologists’ study in order to explain the characteristics of the people’s interactions in relation to their religious beliefs and attitudes to the sacred.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology of Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More That is why, religion should be discussed as the social phenomenon which is typical for the definite religious group because religious groups differ in their visions and beliefs, and this fact influences the development of society significantly. Thus, the sociology of religion studies religion in its connection with the society and the people’s dependence on the definite religious beliefs a nd attitudes to form and develop their community. From this perspective, the sociology of religion is the specific sphere of knowledge in relation to which sociologists examine people’s religious beliefs, their sacred practices and attitudes in their connection with the social development. Sociology of religion is studied with the help of the methodological framework used in sociology that is why researchers are interested in the empirical information associated with the religious issues, people’s religious visions and practices. Thus, Johnstone determines the characteristic feature of this filed of knowledge which is in the fact that â€Å"the sociology of religion is conducted according to the scientific method† (Johnstone 6). The next important feature of sociology of religion is the discussion of religion as the social phenomenon in spite of the fact people are inclined to discuss the religious beliefs as the part of their personal life (Putnam and Campbell) . It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that both visions are relevant because according to Johnstone, â€Å"religion is a response to both individual and group needs† (Johnstone 38). Religion can be discussed as the reflection of the individual’s attitudes to the sacred, but the subject matter of studying sociology of religion as the sphere of knowledge is religion within the society. Moreover, religion cannot exist without its connection with society because it emerges as the result of the people’s interactions with each other. The subject of the sociology of religion is important because it is impossible to discuss religion without its references to society and to study society without concentrating on the people’s religious beliefs.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To develop successfully, religion should be based on the patterns and prin ciples which are typical for the evolution of the society, on the particular features of the social interactions. Thus, â€Å"society precedes religion. Before religion can develop, there must first exist general patterns of social interaction – that is, a society – that can serve as a model† (Johnstone 30). This statement can be discussed as the reason to support the idea that this subject is really important. Furthermore, sociologists study religion as the key aspect of the people’s development because religion exists within the society during a long period of time, and there are few situations when societies could reject their religious views even when the necessity of such rejection was imposed on them with the help of the political strategies. Sociologists began to focus on studying religion within the field of sociology not long ago. There were numerous attempts to examine religion in its connection with the social development and impact on the soci ety. Johnstone stresses that â€Å"the persistence of religion in its various forms has finally forced sociologists to renew the effort †¦ of attempting to understand the nature and function of religion† (Johnstone 19). Today, the sociology of religion is discussed as the independent sphere of knowledge operating the techniques which are typical for sociology and examining the notions which are characteristic for the religious studies. The moral presumptions, religious visions, attitudes to the sacred, religious practices and rituals followed by the representatives of the definite religious community can help make the necessary conclusions about the characteristic features of this social group. That is why, the studies in the context of the sociology of religion are important for sociologists. The sociological knowledge depends on examination of the people’s beliefs and visions which are different in various religious groups or social communities. The religious ri tuals and practices which are followed by the representatives of these groups reflect not only their attitude to the sacred but also provide the people’s vision of the general world picture and the community’s goals. To study the group dynamics, it is important to refer to those religious beliefs and attitudes which are promoted by the group representatives (Johnstone 2). Thus, the world can be perceived at different levels, and religion reflects the particular features of the people’s perception of the surroundings and of the sacred and magic at one of these levels. From this point, sociology of religion is important to provide the complex picture of the public’s vision of the world and the people’s role in it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology of Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To understand the role of the religious visions in constructing the society, it i s important to study the sources and nature of religion as a phenomenon. There are a lot of theories developed by sociologists to explain the emergence of religion as the complex of definite beliefs and practices. However, there is the question about the reasons of choosing this or that religion. It is possible to discuss this choice with references to the rational choice theory. This theory is used in the economic sphere to explain choices which are beneficial for people. Following the scientific approach to discussing the concept of religion, the rational choice theory is effective to accentuate the aspects according to which the person is inclined to choose his or her religious path. Johnstone presents the definition of the rational choice theory according to which this theory deals â€Å"seriously with not only the persistence of religion but also the observation that some form of religion appears to be ubiquitous among societies, even if some individuals deny the validity of t he religions that surround them† (Johnstone 36). From this point, the decision to follow or not the definite religion is in the sphere of the people’s free choices. This theory is effective to discuss the notion of religion from the sociological perspective. People choose something rationally, and the rational choice theory accentuates the fact that religion is also chosen rationally, with references to the persons’ vision of benefits and previous experiences. Sociology of religion discusses a lot of controversial questions which are associated with the role of religion in the development of society, the connections between the public and religion, and the nature of religion as the social phenomenon which emerged as a result of the people’s interactions. The significant subject of study is the people’s religious beliefs, attitudes to the sacred and to the magic, religious rituals and practices as important spheres of the people’s personal and social life. Works Cited Johnstone, Ronald. Religion in Society: A Sociology of Religion. USA: Pearson, Prentice-Hall, 2007. Print. Putnam, Robert, and David Campbell. American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us. USA: Simon Schuster, 2010. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Sociology of Religion was written and submitted by user Ryleigh R. to help you with your own studies. 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The Hillerman Hotel Case Study Essays

The Hillerman Hotel Case Study Essays The Hillerman Hotel Case Study Essay The Hillerman Hotel Case Study Essay Problem 1: What to do with the property? The first problem in the case is deciding what to do with the property. The owners have the option of selling the hotel or keeping it open for business. This problem is time sensitive because new competitors are entering the market rapidly. â€Å"Approximately 28 hotels were under construction and an additional 25 in permit stages for a total of 53 projects under development†. (Cornsun amp; Enz, p. 1). The Hillerman Hotel Executive Board will need to choose an option soon. The tool/concept that will be used to solve this problem is the hold and maintain strategy. The essence of this strategy is a good defense, which makes it harder for new firms to enter and for challengers to gain ground, lowers the probability of attack, lessens the intensity of attack, or diverts attack to less threatening arenas (Popescu, 2008, p. ). The purpose of the hold and maintain strategy is to protect the company’s position in the industry by strengthening competencies. After reading the case and looking at the business life cycle, which is the movement of a firm through stages of development, growth, expansion, maturity, saturation, and decline (Business Life Cycle), this company is in the mature phase and is doing very well. Although it is a seller’s market, there is no reason to sell a high performing business, at this point, that will prove to still be a top competitor in the industry. The hold and maintain strategy should be used by businesses who are leaders and dominant in their field. The Westward is at the top of the industry for their target market of the business transient segment and is financially healthy. Hillerman will stick to their competencies, which are customer service and guest satisfaction. With proper implementation of the hold and maintain strategy, Hillerman will arrive at the conclusion to not sell the property and maintain its place in the industry by strengthening themselves and competing with the new businesses. Bibliography Business Life Cycle. (n. d. ). Retrieved October 28, 2009, from All Business: www. allbusiness. com/glossaries/life-cycle/4942437-1. html. Cornsun, P. D. , amp; Enz, P. C. Living A Vision At The Hillerman Hotels. Popescu, C. (2008). Generic Business Strategies.

How Police Officers learn Professional Ethics Essay

How Police Officers learn Professional Ethics - Essay Example Police officers build up their ethical range, integrity, or moral foundation, from working together with other people and learning ethics and morals. Training of professional ethics for police officers assists them to perform the following: be familiar with an ethical trouble or problem without any difficulty, recognize numerous alternatives to tackle the specific problem caught up in, make a balanced and morally good option of which alternative to prefer, Take quick action build upon that option and acknowledge accountability for the result. Police officers cannot just think morally; they are obliged to conduct themselves ethically as well. Training for professional ethics offers tools for dealing with ethical troubles, however, the police professional ought to possess the nerve to act. According to Michael C. Braswell â€Å"one of the most defining characters of the police occupation is the potential use of coercive force, especially deadly force, to impose the will of the state a nd another defining yet less well-understood characteristic is ethics† Exactly as Law, medicine, business, or further occupations are distinguished by ethics that direct people and group conduct, policing is a profession which includes its particular principles and ethics. These ethics give a foundation by which a behavior of an individual and his thoughts can be calculated. Comparative to other occupations, nonetheless, learning professional morals in policing is completely not the result of teaching, socialization and education. In reality, learning most of the times predate official teaching and socialization endeavor as a consequence of distinctive, communal and historical issues. Furthermore, the procedure of the socialization of police and enculturation on-the-job may well both persistently and unintentionally pressure the constructive ethical thoughts and principles conveyed to the police officers by new staff. A sound and all-encompassing unusual subculture could be pr esent in certain examples, which can inertly or actively educate unethical conduct to new police professionals. â€Å"Ethics in policing bears directly on issues of reform, control, and legitimacy of law enforcement institutions in a democratic society.† (Michael C. Braswell). The initial stage in meeting such tests is to better comprehend the foundation and subject matter of professional ethics so consequently that management, nation, government and the judges can more efficiently encourage reliable behavior of police force. Ethics are primarily learned in the framework of our first and generally close affiliation with our relatives and friends. Relationships similar to them are in which individuals learn understanding and being compassionate, appreciation, honesty and justice. Through proficient education and experience at work the police officer becomes familiar with presented morals and ethical standards of policing. As stated by council of Europe that there are four dive rse feature of ethical troubles in police employment. Ethical problems in which diverse principles struggle are deficient in knowledge, acting over hurriedly and with disobedience. The process of socialization of being a police official is one analytical feature in building professional