Religion and Globalization

Learning Outcome

 Explain how globalization affects religious

practices and beliefs.
 Analyze the relationship between religion
and global conflict, and conversely,
global peace.
Beyond the Secularization Debate
(SAGE, Victor Roudometof)

 There is a discontinuity between research

agendas that focus on secularization and
globalization.
 Social scientists have debated the scope,
nature, extent and parameters of
secularization in an effort to unveil the overall
patterns and/or trajectories of the modern
world.
 Initially, secularization had a strong
following but eventually it was
superseded by re-evaluation.
 Various debated lead to re-appraisal.
 Secularization debate have been
reframed.
 Secularization is understood as a shift
in the overall frameworks of human
condition; it makes it possible for
people to have a choice between
belief and non-belief in a manner
hitherto unknown.
 Globalization

worldwide interconnectedness in all

aspects of contemporary social aspects
 RELIGION

 Latin “religare” or bond between

God and man.”
 Is a collection of cultural systems,
belief systems and world views
that establishes symbols that
relate humanity to spirituality
and moral values
 As Lionel Obadia argues that
theorizing religion and globalization has
been subject to different lines of
interpretation : globalization of religion
versus globalization and religion (SAGE)
 Globalization of religion

- the fundamental research questions

pertains to the spread of religions and
specific genres or forms of blueprints of
religious expression across the globe
- a product of a long-term process of
inter-civilizational or cross – cultural
interactions
 Globalization and religion

 The position and place of religion is

problematized within the context of
globalization
 This problematic concerns with the relations
and the impact of globalization upon
religion
 From this point of view, even religions that
are not conventionally considered “global”
are nevertheless influenced by globalization
 RELIGION VS. GLOBALIZATION
 globalization as a threat to religion
 religion as the greatest resistance to
globalization
The relationship
between
religion and
globalization is
complex.
 SECULARIZATION

 Society becomes increasingly modern,

religion becomes less and less important.
 A decline in religious practices within
modern societies.
 Religious institutions become separated
from secular institutions and spheres of
influence.
 Religion has retreated into the private
sphere.
WHEN DID GLOBALIZATION
START TO INFLUENCE
RELIGION?
 WHEN DID GLOBALISATION
START TO INFLUENCE RELIGION?

 Evolving trade routes led to the

colonization of the Asia, Africa, Central
and South America.
 Religion became an integral part of
colonization and later on globalization.
 Religion has been a major feature in some
historical conflicts and the most recent
wave of modern terrorism.
Tools uniting people all over
the world on religious basis

BOOKS (PRINTING PRESS)

MOVIES
CELLPHONE APPS
SOCIAL NETWOKS
CHARITY FUNDS
SPECIAL INTERNET SITES (WEBSITES)
RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS
EASE TO TRAVEL
 Information
technologies,
 modern transportation
 the media are deemed
important means for
dissemination of
religious ideas.
 EFFECTS

 PROSELYTIZATION(Promotion of
religion)
 RELIGIOUS MARKET (Oliver Roy)
 Worldwide circulation of religion
 De- ethnicization of religion
 Transnational Religion and
Multiple Glocalization

 Migration of faiths across the

globe has been a major feature
of the world throughout the 20th
century.
 Transnational religion emerged
through the post-World War II.
Religious transnationalism is going to
continue to attract the attention of new
generations of researchers and scholars.
 Globalization Engendering
Greater Religious Tolerance

 brings a culture of pluralism

 world’s leading religious traditions—Hinduism,
Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—
teach values such as human dignity, equality,
freedom, peace, and solidarity.
 In political areas

 Globalization has integrate cultural, ethnic,

and religious differences, through a large
number of international organizations such
as
 United Nations (UN)
 discuss issues like international peace and
security, health issues, equality, and
environmental protection which are uphold by
religious traditions
In terms of economics

 Many religions have also grown

financially, providing more financial
resources for religions to spread their
beliefs.
 In media as information
superhighway

 Websites
 Television
 MEDIA and Religion
 In short, globalization allows for religions
previously isolated from one another to
now have regular and unavoidable
contact. As a result, globalization brings
to the light the fact that since religions
have similar values, not one of them is
“correct” and, therefore, can be
changed.
 Religion in Global Conflict

 The era of globalization brought

enormous problems such as
 Disruption of traditional communities,
 causes economic marginalization;
 brings mental stress
 Religion in Global Conflict

 Globalization is associated with

 Westernization

 Americanization.

The dominance and hegemony exerted by

these two processes, particularly on the Third
World countries, makes religions-related cultures
and identities take defensive measures to
protect themselves.
 RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS

 Only in the period 1980-1995 in the world there

were 72 civil wars (ethnic, national, religious
and racial grounds), as well as another type of
war (state against state).

 This continued after the 1995 (aggression in

Yugoslavia in 1999, civil war in Angola, Liberia,
Sudan and bloody ethnic conflicts in Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Kosovo and military
intervention in Afghanistan).
CONFLICTS INVOLVING DIFFERENT RELIGIONS AND
RELIGION-LINKED TERRORIST ATTACKS
 Expansion of Terrorism on
religious basis

 Videos and audios in the internet of

sermons read by missionaries which
contain extremist ideas, call for
crimes, murders, terrorist attacks
 The possibility of communicating
with anyone across the world and
sharing ideas provoke the spread of
terrorists and expansion of their
band
 REASONS OF SYRIAN WAR

 Syrian geo-political importance

 The Main Players in the Conflict(Bashar
al-Assad and other Islamic groups)
 Syria’s Religious Conflict
 The Role of Foreign Powers
REFUGEE PROBLEM
 Islamic culture

 Incompatible to values that

accompany globalization like
liberalism, consumerism, rationalism,
etc which advocate scientism and
secularism.
 “Globalization is not only seen as a
rival of Islamic ways, but also as an
alien force divorced from Muslim
realities.
 ISLAMIC WORLD GOVERNMENT

 CALIPHATE SYSTEM
Islamic government
Caliph (successor of Muhammad)
Sunni - election
/Shi’a – hereditary
Southeast Asia - Regionalism

 HUDHUD LAW
 Malaysia
 Muslims are no longer allowed to change their
religion
 Onlyan adolescent & fair male can stand as a
witness in cases of Zina (illicit sex) & Liwat
(Sodomy)
 Indonesia
 Prohibits inter-religious marriage
 Brunei
 Imposes severe punishments for offenders
Film to be watched

“The Rise of ISIS”

link:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/rise-of-isis/
 CONCLUSIONS

 Religion is definitely the integral part of

globalization, thus they should not be studied
separately
 the situation of religion in the world of today is
twofold
(TWO TRENDS: secularization and conservative
offense)
 The globalization is a reason to integrate the
society around the world including the religion
issue
 Multiculturalism, immigration
 An increased understanding and respect for
other cultures
 However, religion-based conflicts are on the
rise
Guide Questions for group
discussion

 How did religion unite people

around the world?
 How can globalization be a
problem for different religions of
the world.
 What is the role of religion in
global conflict?
GLOBAL CITY – ASSIGNMENT/QUIZ

 Preparea slide presentation of the

assigned Global City per group (1-8)
 Upload in the FB for checking
 May 22, Monday presentation of the
assignment during the morning
session
GLOBAL CITIES

 1 - Seoul
 2 – Beijing
 3 – Hongkong
 4 – Singapore
 5 – Dubai
 6 – Sydney
 1 – Kuala Lumpur (Filipino)
 2- Bangkok (Filipino
References :

 Chapter 10 … The Sage Handbook of Globalization

 Religion and Globalization by: David Lehman
 Materials provided by SCU through Pro. Sobrejuanete
 Internet