Typen religiöser Sozialformen und ihre Bedeutung für die Analyse religiösen Wandels in Deutschland

The article examines different forms of institutionalization of religion in Germany since the 1950s. Going beyond the classical church-sect dichotomy, we discuss in a theoretical part communities, organizations, market relations, movements and events as possible candidates for the structuring of religious communication. In an empirical part, we outline recent changes of social forms in Germany. By addressing divergent trajectories in the major German churches, smaller Christian denominations, immigrant religions and the evolving spectrum of new religiosity, we show that a general trend is not observable. The developments do not prove the often claimed ‘end of religious communities’. It rather seems that modernity produces a variety of religious social forms that seem to balance the tension between communalization (Vergemeinschaftung) and socialization (Vergesellschaftung).     

Zwischen Säkularisierung und religiöser Reorganisation – Eine Analyse der Religiosität türkischer und polnischer Neuzuwanderer in Deutschland

This paper addresses the role of religion in the process of immigrant integration in Germany. Based on novel data (SCIP 2010/11) from a survey among new Polish and Turkish migrants, it particularly focuses on the impact of the migratory event upon religious participation and private religious practice as well as on early trends of changing religiosity in the receiving context. The study confirms, first of all, that both groups of newcomers experience a decrease in religious practices after the migratory event. This decrease is more pronounced among Muslim Turks than among Catholic Poles and more pertinent for worship attendance than for prayer, thus attesting to the relevance of religious opportunity structure. Secondly, it can be shown that among new Polish immigrants, religious decrease is more pronounced among individuals with stronger social ties to the secular German mainstream, while this is not the case for Turks. For them, thirdly, it seems that religious practices are being re-captured after the rather disruptive first couple of months in what may a called a process of religious re-organizations. These group-comparative findings attest to limits of classical assimilation theory and to the relevance of symbolic boundary dynamics. Overall, they underline that publicly visible religious diversity will remain a permanent feature of modern immigrant societies.     

Religion als religiös-ethnische Gemeinschaft. Das Beispiel der Parsi Zoroastrier in Indien

This paper analyzes a form of religion characterized by a combination of religious and ethnic boundary-making. It discusses the typical properties of this form of religion and asks about its persistence under modern conditions. As an example, the community of the Parsi Zoroastrians in Mumbai is studied, an ethno-religious community that played a major role in the modernization of India and is also overproportionally confronted with the consequences of modernity. Despite the conflicts and challenges the traditional religious and ethnic boundaries of the community in question were facing in the recent past, it did not dissolve or change, but “centripetal” tendencies prevailed and the communal tradition was affirmed. The analysis of these developments allows understanding of the coupling of religion and ethnicity: The membership to such a religious community is primordialized and therefore beyond the reach of individual decisions. Further, because the boundaries are drawn by ethnic practice and not formal organization, institutions implementing collectively binding decisions are missing. This impossibility to cross or change the communal boundaries by individual or collective decision results in a form of community that is by and large impervious to changes occurring in the society surrounding it. The traditional ethnic and ritual practice remains the only legitimate communal point of reference and renders it stable even under conditions of modernity.     

Eine integrative Theorie des Problemlösens in Gruppen: Problemlöseprozess und Problemlöseerfolg

This paper is the first paper in a three-part article series presenting an integrative theory of problem solving in groups on the basis of theory and research on group processes, problem solving and decision making. Group problem solving is differentiated into three main focuses of action, namely taskwork, group organisation and socio-emotional regulation. The present paper focuses on aspects of group organization. A theory of the structure of group mental models is developed. The mental model of problem solving groups is differentiated into a short-term and a long-term memory system. Under each memory system, several memory units are proposed containing declarative and procedural knowledge on aspects of the problem at hand and aspects of the group. Based on the assumption that success in problem solving results from the group’s success in solving various subproblems, recommendations for structuring the problem solving process are being drafted. It is suggested that during an initial orientation stage all occurring subproblems be rated according to their need for action and stored in the short term memory system. In the following action stage, the various subproblems stored in the short term memory system should be worked off in the order of their respective need for action. Based on characteristics of the subproblems at hand and on situative constraints, propositions concerning the resources needed for belabouring the various subproblems are established. Consequences with regard to the working mode of the group are derived.     

Megakirchen als religiöse Organisationen: Ein dritter Gemeindetyp jenseits von Sekte und Kirche?

Due to the rapid growth and expansion of so-called Megachurches, the religious landscape of the United States has been changing greatly over the past decades. The term Megachurch usually refers to evangelical congregations which draw at least 2,000 attenders to their regular weekly services and often significantly more. Megachurches can be thought of as representing a novel form of congregation. This study explores their specific organizational features. It addresses the following questions: (1) How do Megachurches cope with the structural strains caused by their rapid growth? (2) What are the organizational factors which are contributing to their success? The investigation consists of two parts: First, we examine the growth doctrine of the Megachurches, which draws its legitimation from religious sources and has to be viewed in a larger context of churches and religious audiences in the United States. Second, we focus on the internal organization structures that reproduce the patterns of dynamic stability underlying this growth doctrine.     

Erklärt die Rational Choice Theorie die Ungleichheit der Bildungschancen?

There are several plausible arguments which make it obvious to apply Rational Choice Theory to the process of educational opportunities and equality. Looking more closely at an empirical application or RC theory, several serious problems emerge: They concern the operationalization of the variables, the explanatory power of the central variables related to Subjective Expected Utility, the systematic omission of important variables relating to individual persons and their identity, and to social structural and institutional factors; the latter seem to be much more important than those indicated by RC approaches.     

Veränderungen der Rollenstruktur von Arbeitsgruppen im Rahmen einer Software-Implementierung

Introducing new technologies in organizations often brings about tremendous changes regarding structures and processes that also impact procedures, communication and cooperation in working groups. In this study we investigate whether the structure of working teams changed in the course of a software implementation process, what kind of impact these changes had on the teams, and how these changes could be used to shape the implementation process in a positive way. To that end, working teams from different organizations and sectors were analyzed using sociometric methods prior to and after a software implementation process. Results show typical changes in role structures that can be used to shape the implementation process. Implications for research and practice are discussed.     

Soziologische Theorie,Französische Soziologie,Religionssoziologie, Soziale Ungleichheit,Arbeitssoziologie

Literaturbesprechungen

Soziologische Theorie, Franz?sische Soziologie, Religionssoziologie, Soziale Ungleichheit, Arbeitssoziologie     

Die Auflösung von Schreibblockaden durch Introvision: Ergebnisse einer Pilotstudie

The present pilot study explored the structure of writer’s blockades under consideration of the theory of subjective imperatives within an educational-psychological trial. The pilot study had two goals: (1) to test if introvision can be applied to writer’s blockades, and (2) to analyze by means of case studies which subjective imperatives respectively imperativic structures can form the basis of writing blockades. Six student subjects (five female, one male) were counseled individually with the objective of bringing an end to imperative processes that impede writing. The counseling interviews were recorded and transcribed first and subsequently analyzed sentence by sentence on the basis of the ‘theory of (subjective) imperatives’ text analysis method with respect to subjective imperatives, conflict dodging strategies (KUS) and core imperatives. The results revealed layers of subjective imperatives, beginning with imperatives related to writing in the topmost layer. Each of the six subjects showed core imperatives in the bottom layer that were linked to some form of fear of death or similar existential negative emotions and that presumably affect other aspects of live and personality as well.     

Ist Authentizität möglich?

From my observation the term authenticity is usually linked to high expectations on the interaction partner’s cognitive and expressive abilities. Analysis shows: clear messages about one’s cognitive process do not allow the conclusion that such processes proceed in straight forward, linear ways. In fact, inner cognitive processes have proved to be a dynamic liaison of the orderly and disorderly, the complete and the fragmented, continuity and discontinuity. Therefore it is recommandable to redefine the term authenticity and to draw educational consequences accordingly.     

Willentliches Vergessen – Voraussetzung für Flexibilität und Veränderungsfähigkeit in einer sich permanent verändernden Welt

Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie (GIO) - Dieser Beitrag im Journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. stellt dar, wie willentliches...     

Living Apart Together: Alters- und Kohortenabhängigkeit einer heterogenen Lebensform

Living apart together (LAT) is a committed partnership between two partners living in different households. It is ignored in most social surveys (e. g. the German Mikrozensus) because these focus on partners sharing the same household. The German socio-economic panel (SOEP) provides the unique opportunity to study LAT partnerships separately from singledom and cohabitation since 1992. The current study used this opportunity to test four hypotheses about LAT: LAT increased historically; decreases until the end of the female reproductive period (age 40 years); is thereafter a life form of its own without transition into co-residence; and at all ages is less stable than cohabitation and marriage. The results confirmed all four hypotheses.     

Achtsamkeit in den Grundschulen einer ganzen Stadt fördern – ein NRW-Landesmodellprojekt

Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown internationally to strengthen health promoting ressources in adults and children. Based on these findings, the Northrhine Westphalia state-funded reference project “Health, Integration and Concentration—Mindfulness in Primary Schools” designs and evaluates mindfulness-based 20-hour-interventinons within the primary school system of the town Solingen. First all 21 school principals were addressed and then the teams of teachers in each school. Based on these experiences interventions with the children were then developed together with and implimented by the teachers.In this paper the interventions are scetched out and first qualitative results on different systemic levels within the schools. Of particular interest are possible links between individual developments in attitude, self regulation and behavior, styles of communication and interaction among colleagues and with the children as well as developments in school organisation and culture towards mindful schools. Finally the paper summarizes dos and don’ts for similar projects.     

Etablierung einer Vertrauenskultur zwischen Führungskräften und ihren Mitarbeitern/Mitarbeiterinnen

Trust is considered to be fundamental for satisfactory social relationships. In organizational systems, trust is also necessary, but sometimes neglected and underestimated. Considering young adults (millennials), trust and its power as a social resource seem to be highly relevant for the future: In public perception young adults show low involvement and commitment, for example in social or organizational assignments. But, participation and commitment are closely linked with the experience of trust. Authentic and fair behaviour as well as presenting oneself as a role model are crucial to promote a culture of trust between leaders and employees. To outline this, a leadership-model for promoting commitment and participation by trust actions is presented.     

Kulturwandel im Geldgeschäft? Potenziale einer ethischen Selbsterneuerung im Banken- und Finanzwesen

Following the financial crisis in 2008 a debate about the social benefit of the financial industry, which operates without considering its real-economic consequences, was initiated. The financial industry responded by offering strategies of cultural change (“Kulturwandel”) which foster a more socially responsible financial practice. At the same time the expansion of “ethical” banks aims to establish a banking business avoiding negative externalities of the banking sector. Following the conceptual assumptions of the sociology of critique we study the collectively shared interpretation of a “good” and legitimate financial practice beyond publicly communicated standards of practice. Against this backdrop we evaluate the potentials of normative self-regulation in banking and finance. Our results show that cultural or ethical change is only partly feasible if it exclusively focuses the motives, values and personalities of the individual subjects but neglects the structural as well as institutional conditions of a “good” financial practice.     

Religiöse Diversität und Sozialintegration im internationalen Vergleich

Following Robert D. Putnams (2007) thesis that ethnic diversity weakens social cohesion, this study addresses the social consequences of religious diversity. Instead of contrasting social-psychological mechanisms it takes a macro-sociological perspective that focuses on different structural forms of religious diversity and relates them to the trust relations within a population. The empirical results based on a cross-national comparison of 41 European and Non-European societies show that religious macro-structures are indeed related to social trust. But contrary to Putnam’s “hunkering down” thesis religious diversity does not lead to social anomia and isolation but has different effects on social trust toward religious in- and out-groups. Key is the result that different macro-structural forms of religious diversity have different consequences for social cohesion. The question, whether religious diversity poses a threat or opportunity for the social integration of society, therefore crucially depends on its concrete form.     

Der Beitrag der Theorie subjektiver Werterwartung und anderer RC-Theorien zur Erklärung der herkunftsbedingten Bildungschancen und Bildungsungleichheit

In his critical appreciation of my article about the correlation of social class, educational choice and inequality of education Haller seeks to discuss critical aspects of the applied Rational Choice theories. It is delineated that his objections are based on theoretical, methodological and statistical misunderstandings.