Sociology
Hasan Saraie; Morteza Khoshamadi
Abstract
Each form of religiousness grows at the heart of a “religious society”, and a “religious” society is always to some extent organized. In the “sociology of religion”, the study of social dynamics related to the religious society is defined under the concept of “religious ...
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Each form of religiousness grows at the heart of a “religious society”, and a “religious” society is always to some extent organized. In the “sociology of religion”, the study of social dynamics related to the religious society is defined under the concept of “religious organization”. From long ago, one of the concerns of sociology of religion has been to study and understand the various methods of organization in religious societies. Through an analytical-descriptive study of different approaches and the transformations in this field, the present paper aims to extract “the main criteria” of these typologies. Extracting “the main criteria” would familiarize us with the logic of these typologies, and it shall contribute to presenting alternative, domestic typologies in the framework of Islamic tradition. Therefore, the method of research is documentary, and the main purpose of the study is to understand the fundamental dynamics of the typologies of mystical organizations in theoretical literature. With this purpose in mind, we have examined the available literature through two general approaches: a) a formal approach to the typology of religious organizations; and b) a quantitative approach to the typology of religious organizations. The formal approach is mainly based on Weber’s theories, however, the quantitative approach has been put forth in critique of the formal approach. By studying various typologies and their theoretical principles, we see that the two criteria of a) the extent of organization and b) the extent of tension against the host culture enjoy central importance in the typology of religious organizations.
Mohammadtaghi Sabzehei
Abstract
Mohamma Taghi Sabzeii Date of Receive: 2010/2/18Date of Accept: 2011/1/1AbstractThe present paper that is performed via documentary study and comparative technique is aimed to introduce and present sociological comparative analysis of similarities and differences of Iranian and western approaches to ...
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Mohamma Taghi Sabzeii Date of Receive: 2010/2/18Date of Accept: 2011/1/1AbstractThe present paper that is performed via documentary study and comparative technique is aimed to introduce and present sociological comparative analysis of similarities and differences of Iranian and western approaches to civil society. To do this, at first related opinions of famous thinkers of both approaches are recognized and then selected aspects, concepts and components of civil society are compared with each other.Today, there are four contemporary approaches to civil society in the West: liberal, collective, republican and discursive approach. According to western approaches civil society is made up from three main elements namely non-governmental organizations (NGOs), public sphere and social movements, which have different functions for social order. Freedom (negative and positive), equality, common good, collective wisdom, plurality, autonomy, independent, civilization and civil rights are main concepts of western civil society.Regarding "religion" as an index, Iranian approaches are divided into two categories: religious and secular (liberal) approaches to civil society. By religious approach one can recognize two sub approaches: pro- and anti-approaches in relationship with the compatibility of religious society andcivil society. Opponents of the compatibility of religion and civil society recognize more the differentiations of religious society and civil society in the indices such as freedom, equality, principle of majority, human, legislation, state, relationship between state and society, plurality and tolerance. Therefore they come to conclusion the Islamic society are not compatible with the civil society. Adherents of the religious civil society stress on similarities between two religious and western civil societies in the indices such as independent public sphere, civil organization, pluralism, legality, collective wisdom, civil rights, rights of minorities, respect to human. Hence they argue the realization of a society, which can be as religious and as modern, as possible and as necessary. In liberal or secular approach to civil society, civil society has components, aspects and concepts such as non- governmental organizations, social movements, public sphere, public opinion, collective wisdom, free economy, law state, which can be realized in all of societies (religious and non-religious) and can be also accomplish in Iran.
