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Meredith Mcguire's Religion: The Social Context (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 2 -- The Provision of Meaning and Belonging

Michael R. Leming, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
Spring Semester 1998

  1. Discuss the ways in which MEANING is attached to individual and social life.
  2. How are meaning systems both explanatory and normative.
  3. What is the relationship between a world view or meaning system and the experiences of the individual and legitimation systems?
  4. How are individual meaning systems created? What is the role of determinism with regard to the creation of individual world views?
  5. How are individual and group meaning systems related?
  6. What are theodicies? How do they provide support for individuals and groups? How are theodicies related to the problem of marginal situations and crises of meaning?
  7. What is mazeway disintegration? What social factors contribute to this problem? In what ways can this problem be overcome?
  8. Differentiate between societal and subsocietal plausibility structures. Discuss the following types of plausibility structures giving examples each: Sectarian, Tribal, and Local.
  9. How do dualism and millenarianism function as theodicies?
  10. Discuss your world view with its systems of legitimation, plausibility structures, and theodicies.
  11. What factors most influenced the development of your world view or meaning system? Since high school have there been any major changes in your world view, and if so what factors caused this modification?

Go back to Sociology 265 - Discussion Questions


If you have any questions or comments please email:

leming@stolaf.edu

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