Do Beliefs Matter? A Theoretical Discussion

• In Event: 3151 - Theory Section Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 1. Advancing Sociological Foundations – A

Abstract

The answer to the question “do beliefs matter?” is intuitively “yes.” The world appears to be organized into groups based on belief and value affiliation: political parties, religious congregations, sports teams, and allegiances to humanitarian causes, to name a few. This seems to be a ubiquitous phenomenon in American society. However, it is worth investigating whether beliefs themselves are the catalyst of group organization, as opposed to other phenomena, such as demographic or purely organizational signifiers. This paper will put four sociological authors’ works in conversation with each other to attempt to better understand the efficacy of using beliefs as factors in sociological analysis. By including in this dialogue two of the founders of the discipline, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim, as well as contemporary sociologist of religion Mark Chaves and contemporary cultural sociologist Andrew Miles, the paper hopes to offer potential theoretical and methodological steps forward in considering beliefs in the sociological study of religion.

Author

• Anna Holleman, Duke University