Rational Constraint in Mass Belief Systems: The Role of Developmental Moral Stages in the Structure of Political Beliefs

1990 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Belief Systems ◽  
Political Beliefs ◽  
Rational Constraint

Doro Rekufa and Tsvitsa: Beer, Animals and Death Rituals among the Ndau of South Eastern Zimbabwe

Utafiti ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Plan Shenjere-Nyabezi
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Religious Belief ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
African Continent ◽  
Death Rituals ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Attitudes Towards Death ◽  
Death Signals

Despite Westernization and particularly the advent of Christianity and its widespread entrenchment on the African continent, traditional indigenous rituals continue to constitute an integral part of African religious belief systems and practices. This article presents the results of an ethnoarchaeological study of two death rituals that are conducted by the Ndau people of south eastern Zimbabwe. The rituals are a demonstration of attitudes towards death and beliefs about the role of the dead among the living. The Ndau do not believe that death signals and represents the end of life. In the same vein and perhaps more importantly, the Ndau do not believe that death just happens. It is caused by human agency out of jealousies, hatred and conflict among the living. These beliefs are central to the two rituals presented and discussed here: the first ritual is conducted to ascertain cause of death and the second to bring back the spirit of the deceased from a temporary state of limbo immediately after death. Meat and beer are central to these rituals, firstly as offerings to the deceased and secondly as an important part of the living celebration of the rituals. The paper then explores some interpretive implications of the rituals from an archaeological perspective.

Worlds Conflicting

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 629-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Vienne
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Work ◽  
Historical Narrative ◽  
Cell Theory ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Political Beliefs ◽  
Political Ideas ◽  
Revolutionary Politics ◽  
Nineteenth Century France ◽  
Role Of Religion

François-Vincent Raspail (1794–1878) and Theodor Schwann (1810–1882) postulated—in 1827 and 1838, respectively—that plants and animals consist of, and originate from, cells. Whereas Raspail is mainly remembered for his involvement in the revolutions of 1830 and 1848, little is known about his scientific work. Schwann, by contrast, is regarded as one of the founders of cell theory, but historians of biology have hardly taken his philosophical, religious, and political ideas into account. Paying particular attention to Schwann’s unpublished writings, this paper reconstructs the research agendas of Raspail and Schwann, and contrasts the philosophical and political beliefs and incentives behind them. Whereas Raspail was a proponent of republicanism and materialism, Schwann opposed the modernist agenda of explaining nature and humankind without God, as well a democratic reshaping of society. Contrary to the prevailing historical narrative, this paper argues that cell theory did not emerge exclusively in conjunction with the rise of liberalism and materialism. Rather, the idea of a unifying principle of organic development encompassed different and even antagonistic visions of nature, humankind, society, and the role of religion in science. This essay is part of a special issue entitled REVOLUTIONARY POLITICS AND BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY FRANCE AND GERMANY edited by Lynn K. Nyhart and Florence Vienne.

scholarly journals The Role of Faith Systems and Religions in the Future of Sustainable Development: An Islamic Outlook

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Mamdouh M. A. Sobaihi
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Distant Future ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Religious Networks ◽  
Development Plans ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Shed Light

Reference material concerning sustainable development has increased dramatically over the last decades, with more and more countries, agencies and businesses following the sustainable development ideals and principles. However, one of the most basic of human institutions has not contributed, and perhaps not allowed to contribute, to the debate. Religion and faith systems have a great potential in influencing not only the definitions of sustainable development but also concepts of human sustainable practices to achieve sustainable development goals. The main obstacle to the fulfillment of this potential appears to be the lack of outreach and acceptance of the scientific community to the religious and faith system institutions and individuals. In this paper, a review of the literature is carried out to shed light on the root of this schism between science and belief systems. In addition, the paper will highlight how the majority of the literature deals with process rather than the individual human being and how to make him/her a better practitioner of sustainability. It is also aimed that the paper shed some light on how religious and faith system ideals can be incorporated into sustainable development plans and systems. The main focus of the paper is to cast light on the religion of Islam and some of the Islamic teachings and Ideals and how they can be incorporated in delivering the message of sustainable development since the religion of Islam is forecast to be the largest faith on the planet in the not too distant future. In conclusion, a discussion on how the various religious networks can deliver the message of sustainability will be discussed.

The Role of Belief Systems in Authors’ and Readers’ Constructions of Texts

2019 ◽  
pp. 265-294
Author(s):  
Suzanne Wade ◽  
Audrey Thompson ◽  
William Watkins
Keyword(s):  
Belief Systems

Fearing the Other Side

2021 ◽  
pp. 75-106
Author(s):  
Emily Van Duyn
Keyword(s):  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Political Identity ◽  
The Other ◽  
Economic Interdependence ◽  
Political Beliefs ◽  
Women's Stories

Chapter 4 turns to the reasons why people may hide their political beliefs by looking at the reasons for CWG’s secrecy. This chapter addresses the sociological components of fear—including power and social and economic interdependence—that were at play in the women’s decision to keep their politics a secret. It outlines three types of fear in response to partisan hostility: social, economic, and physical. It recounts the women’s stories of actual retaliation within these categories, as well as the role of personal narrative in fueling fear and building camaraderie. This chapter provides evidence that intensifying polarization has made political identity a source of not only social persecution, but of economic and physical persecution as well.

scholarly journals Power Play: A Game Illustrating Power Transition in Authoritarian Regimes

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-171
Author(s):  
Susan Turner Haynes
Keyword(s):  
Authoritarian Regimes ◽  
College Instructors ◽  
Power Transition ◽  
Military Dictatorship ◽  
Political Beliefs ◽  
The Past ◽  
Democratic Regimes ◽  
Power Play

ABSTRACTOne of the most alarming trends of the past decade has been the rise in authoritarianism and the growing support of strongman politics among citizens of democratic regimes. College instructors have a unique opportunity to challenge such thinking at a time when many of their students are still forming their political beliefs. Using a game, instructors not only can show students the perils of authoritarianism, they also can potentially expand students’ appreciation of democracy. This article describes a game suitable for this purpose. Students take on the role of workers, soldiers, and rulers in a military dictatorship to learn about the “guns-and-butter tradeoff” and authoritarian uncertainty.

Values and Political Predispositions in the Age of Polarization: Examining the Relationship between Partisanship and Ideology in the United States, 1988–2012

2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert N. Lupton ◽  
Steven M. Smallpage ◽  
Adam M. Enders
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
The United States ◽  
Core Values ◽  
Value Orientations ◽  
Mass Public ◽  
Election Studies ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

The correlation between ideology and partisanship in the mass public has increased in recent decades amid a climate of persistent and growing elite polarization. Given that core values shape subsequent political predispositions, as well as the demonstrated asymmetry of elite polarization, this article hypothesizes that egalitarianism and moral traditionalism moderate the relationship between ideology and partisanship in that the latter relationship will have increased over time only among individuals who maintain conservative value orientations. An analysis of pooled American National Election Studies surveys from 1988 to 2012 supports this hypothesis. The results enhance scholarly understanding of the role of core values in shaping mass belief systems and testify to the asymmetric nature and mass public reception of elite cues among liberals and conservatives.

Dialogue Beyond Belief: The Role of Participation in Religious Practices as the Meeting Point for Muslim Christian Encounter

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 196-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejan Azdajic
Keyword(s):  
Belief Systems ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Religious Practices ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Normative Beliefs ◽  
Sociological Approach ◽  
Natural Context ◽  
Islam And Christianity ◽  
Actual Participation

In spite of a commendable proliferation of Muslim-Christian initiatives in recent years, progress has been slow. Islam and Christianity are essentially two rival belief systems each claiming doctrinal and theological superiority. Any serious dialogue that goes deeper into these issues and attempts to discover new hermeneutical bridges inevitably reaches its explanatory limit. In this article, I argue that there may perhaps be new ways to overcome this historic standstill. Borrowing from insights gained from a sociological approach to the study of religion, it becomes evident that it is necessary to distinguish between religion as a set of normative beliefs and the concrete implementation of those beliefs through religious practices. The application of theory into authentic forms of embodied religiosity is the responsibility of believers themselves. They concretize the normative prescriptions through a contextualized, local interpretation that is both pragmatic and meaningful in order to make sense of their everyday lives. To understand religion intellectually, it is necessary to consider its fundamental anthropological dimension. Hence, the study of religion must ultimately include the study of human beings in their natural context and from their point of view. Moreover, I provide evidence that true insight is contingent upon actual participation in the religious practices themselves. Building on this argument, this article suggests that Muslim-Christian relations would significantly benefit from including shared participation in sacred religious performances as part of the strategy for a successful encounter.

scholarly journals Influences of Culture in the Built Environment; Assessing Living Convenience in Kabul City

Urban Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Osama Hidayat ◽  
Yoshitaka Kajita
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Urban Development ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Local Municipalities ◽  
The Relationship

During Afghanistan’s rapid urban growth, development diversified from state-run initiatives to ones led by local municipalities or nongovernmental entities such as private enterprises. Owing to these various efforts, cities face environmental challenges, squatter settlements, and unbalanced development. Responding to these interconnected challenges, cities need to increase their resilience to deal with the combined effects of urbanization, changing geopolitical contexts, and culture. In this study, we focused on dimensions of culturally responsive solutions for the built environment in Kabul, Afghanistan. Culture, as a key element in the concept of sustainable development, refers herein to the relationship between Afghan customs and belief systems as it influences and shapes the architecture of the urban environment. Initially, the study provides a conceptual understanding of sustainable urban development and the importance of culture. We have attempted to approach urban segregation in Kabul based on socioeconomic factors and address the essential role of culture in this unique context. Such segregation can be hazardous to both the current and future sustainability of urban development. To conclude, we provide in-depth insights into the contribution of culture and propose culture as a possible dimension of sustainability and an integral part of environmental, economic, and social dimensions of development.

Reflections on the Role of Control in Meditation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deane H. Shapiro
Keyword(s):  
Belief Systems ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Western Psychology ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Being There ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Instrumental Control

Spiritual, religious, and secular traditions emphasize the importance of control over one’s thoughts, feelings and behavior, and the relevance of meditation in achieving this control. Meditation practices, in particular, can be understood as one strategy amongst others for achieving self-regulation. While the main focus in Western psychology has been on active instrumental control, other traditions have emphasized the importance of a more accepting/yielding mode of control. This chapter distinguishes between different forms of control and how some of these may be enhanced by meditation practices. While over-control and passive resignation can have negative consequences for a person’s well-being, there is evidence for the beneficial role of the active/assertive and positive accepting/yielding modes of control. Selecting the most appropriate meditation strategy for a particular person is dependent upon a wide range of factors, including the person’s control profile, their sensory orientation, and their belief systems. The chapter concludes with the description of the author’s personal journey in exploring meditation and theories and practices of control—and a note of gratitude.

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