Name: ___________________________ Class: _________________ Date: __________
chapter 15
1. The forces of globalization are affecting religion and religious practices. Provide
three examples that illustrate how globalization is affecting religion and religious
practices, and explain how. Conversely, are the religions and practices in your
three examples affecting globalization, and if so, how? How do your three
examples also reveal the relationship between religion and other social systems of
power? How will future forces likely affect the religion and practices of your three
examples? How will future forces likely affect the general status of world religions
and practices? Do you think religion will be less or more prominent in people’s daily
lives in the future? Why do you think this will be the case?
2. The state of Chiapas in Mexico and the work of Charlene Floyd illustrate the
relationship and tension between religion and power. What were the circumstances
that led to the Zapatista uprising? Was it successful in its goals? Why was the
Catholic Church indicted as a coconspirator in this rebellion? How does this
particular example illustrate the connection between religion and other social
systems of power?
3. Religious revivals have been spreading across various areas of the world. In some
countries, such as China, however, the government faces a dilemma. How might
religion threaten a government? How would a religious revival act as an
antagonistic force to an established government? What kinds of strategies has the
Chinese government seemed to use in order to avoid religion as a threat and still
allow it to be practiced? What do you think are the underlying forces spurring the
religious revival, what direction do you think it will take in the future, and what
forces do you think will affect the future direction? Do you think religion will
eventually die out in the future? Why or why not?
4. Anthropologist Clifford Geertz examines the role of symbols in religion. He argues
that each symbol has deep meaning and evokes powerful emotions and
motivations in the religion’s followers. What are two different examples of religious
symbols used in the world today? What meaning do the symbols have for the
religious followers? What emotions and motivations do the symbols evoke in
followers and why? How do these symbols help followers make sense of their
worlds? What purpose do these symbols likely serve regarding community life? Do
you think symbols are imperative to religious beliefs and practices? Why or why
not? What are some of the problems posed by Geertz’s approach to religion?
5. In his research in Niger, West Africa, anthropologist Paul Stoller apprenticed with a
local sorcerer as a means of exploring the role of religion in community life there.
During his apprenticeship, Stoller’s work came to an abrupt end and he fled back
home to the United States. What did his research and experience demonstrate
regarding the power of religion in people’s everyday lives? What risks do
anthropologists take by immersing themselves in others’ religious belief systems
and practices? Do you think it is possible to comprehend another group of people’s
religious beliefs and practices without accepting that they are real for believers?
Why or why not? What does it mean for a religious belief or practice to be
considered real, and who should determine whether or not it is real?
6. Anthropologist Marvin Harris (1927–2001) developed the theory of cultural
materialism, which is built on Karl Marx’s analysis of the way in which the material
conditions of a society shape its other components. What is the basic premise of
Harris’s theory of cultural materialism, and how does it relate to religion? How can
Harris’s theory be applied to explain why cows are sacred in India? What is an
example of a religious practice that people engage in within the United States that
could be explained using the theory of cultural materialism? Do you think Harris’s
theory is useful in examining religion and religious practices? Why or why not?
7. What did German political philosopher Karl Marx mean when he called religion “the
opiate of the masses”? According to Marx, what purpose or purposes does religion
serve in society? How is religion related to the economic reality and class struggle
found within a society? Do you agree with Marx’s arguments and ideas regarding
the purpose of religion in society? Why or why not?
8. Anthropologist Victor Turner (1920–1983) considered religious pilgrimage to be a
unique form of religious ritual. What is a religious pilgrimage? What are three
specific examples of religious pilgrimage and what do they entail? What stages of
process do the pilgrimage examples you provided entail? What purposes does
religious pilgrimage serve for the individual and his or her community?
9. French ethnographer and folklorist Arnold van Gennep (1873–1957) was the first to
theorize about a category of ritual called “rites of passage.” What are rites of
passage and what is an example of a rite of passage in your own cultural
experience? How are rites of passage related to rituals and religion? Are there rites
of passage in cultural groups that are not tied to religion? Provide an example.
How do rites of passage affect the individual, and how do they affect the cultural
group as a whole?
10. French sociologist Émile Durkheim argued that religion, particularly religious ritual,
serves a crucial role in combating one’s sense of anomie and in addressing larger
social dynamics of alienation and dislocation. How did Durkheim define anomie,
and what is a specific example of it in the world today? How does religious ritual
help combat anomie? How does religious ritual address larger social dynamics of
alienation and dislocation? How did these notions, as argued by Durkheim,
influence the anthropological approach to the study of religion?
11. The anthropologist’s task when examining religion is to try to capture its vivid inner
life, sense of moral order, dynamic public expressions, and interactions with other
systems of meaning and power. Based on your own experiences, how does
religion inform an individual’s inner life, sense of moral order, dynamic public
expressions, and interactions with other systems of meaning and power? How
does religion inform these aspects on a cultural or social level? What is the
underlying purpose of religion within a cultural group or society? What do
anthropologists have to offer to the exploration and understanding of world
religions?
12. Globalization is increasing interaction across borders, changing the way religions
are practiced and shaped. Which of the following is a way in which Mexican
immigrants to New York City have reshaped local expressions of Catholicism?
a.
Mexican Catholics participate in a pilgrimage in which a torch is carried from
Mexico City to New York City.
b.
Mexican Catholics formed Association Tepeyac to advocate for women’s
rights.
c.
Mexican Catholics began using spirit mediums who communicated with
spirits that traveled from Mexico to the United States.
d.
Mexican Catholics began reading the Bible in English instead of Spanish.
13. In the United States, the Roman Catholic Church is experiencing rejuvenation and
exercising its power by supporting various causes. Which of the following are
causes that the U.S. Catholic Church supports?
a.
separating families across borders
b.
increasing opportunities for flexible accumulation
c.
tightening border restrictions
d.
eliminating opportunities for low-wage worker exploitation
14. The author describes his own work in Chinatown and the appearance of a temple
used by the Chinese religious communities there. People were observed praying at
the altar and conducting themselves in a manner consistent with a religious site.
What function does the temple serve that is not religious?
a.
a human trafficking drop point
b.
an informal barter market
c.
a dance hall
d.
an information exchange
15. A megachurch refers to a large, often evangelical or Protestant church that
employs business practices, showmanship, rock music, and spectacle to attract
congregations. Many megachurches televise their sermons, reaching audiences
who are too far away to attend in person. These churches reveal how technology
and marketing, as well as the larger force of ________, are changing religion
today.
a.
democratization
b.
globalization
c.
proselytization
d.
secularization
16. Which of these factors is helping to rejuvenate Catholicism in the United States?
a.
increased immigration from Catholic countries, bringing new membership,
worship styles, and social needs
b.
immigration of wealthy individuals from otherwise impoverished Catholic
countries, bringing an infusion of funds to local churches
c.
high rates of conversion to Catholicism from Islam, creating a hybrid worship
style within the church
d.
high rates of lapsed middle-class Catholics returning to the church, bringing a
return to traditional Catholic values
17. Which of the following locations is experiencing a significant increase in encounters
between people of various religious faiths?
a.
rural villages
b.
remote villages
c.
farming communities
d.
cities
18. Since the 1990s, China has been experiencing a religious revival that includes all
state-recognized religions but especially Chinese popular religion, which is a blend
of Buddhism, Daoism, and respect for family and village ancestors. This revival has
had unexpected effects on rural Chinese villages, such as in the Black Dragon
King Temple complex in Shaanbei, China. Which of the following is a way in which
the transformation of a small rural shrine into the Black Dragon King Temple
complex affected the village of Shaanbei?
a.
The community’s folk cultural traditions were reborn.
b.
The community gained income.
c.
The community gained political power.
d.
The community led a revolt against the oppressive government.
19. The Catholic Church in the Chiapas region of southern Mexico has been accused
of promoting
a.
the Latin language.
b.
birth control.
c.
revolution.
d.
poverty.
20. The text describes the high rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Swaziland, which has one
of the highest rates of infection in the world. Aside from religious services, what
does the presence of the church in Swaziland provide?
a.
health education and reduced stigma
b.
medical spaces that can be rented by clinics
c.
HIV testing
d.
employment for impoverished citizens
21. In the view of Talal Asad, religion has been defined by Western anthropology,
which has made it a(n)
a.
attempt at a universal definition.
b.
fieldwork problem.
c.
an ethnocentrism problem.
d.
Christian definition.
22. What is a central argument that anthropologist Talal Asad presents about religion?
a.
Universal definitions of religion can actually obscure local realities and,
subsequently, local expressions of religion should be examined rather than
universal ones.
b.
Symbols used in religion acquire significance because they are made of
valuable materials.
c.
Through collective religious ritual, believers reaffirm and define for one
another what is sacred and what is profane.
d.
Symbols develop in a culture completely independent of historical and social
developments.
23. According to Talal Asad, the cross, the Torah, and the cow gained their symbolic
power through
a.
the actions and words of prophets.
b.
their material value, which gave them spiritual value.
c.
Western scholars seeking to define religion.
d.
complex historical and social developments.
24. Anthropologist Clifford Geertz suggests that religion is essentially a system of
ideas surrounded by powerful
a.
symbols.
b.
rituals.
c.
rites.
d.
specialists.
25. Which of the following is a scenario that most accurately represents sociologist
Émile Durkheim’s explanation of how religion combats anomie?
a.
Through worship and reading sacred texts, a congregation is reminded of
their duty to help others in their community.
b.
By reading a sacred text and praying, an individual reconnects with the
sacred.
c.
For the Bemba, rites of passage support young women in puberty and early
marriage.
d.
A shaman is honored in his community for his special role.
26. The Grateful Dead toured the country until the death of Jerry Garcia, the band’s
founder. They attracted a huge and devoted fan base, many of whom traveled long
distances to see the band perform and partake of the hallucinogens commonly
found at the concerts. What kind of religious practice might an anthropologist call
such activity?
a.
pilgrimage
b.
shamanism
c.
ritual
d.
rites of passage
27. What did anthropologist Mary Douglas conclude about the nature of some Jewish
dietary codes after completing her work examining how purity and danger function
in Western societies?
a.
They are simply rituals designed to bolster the power held by rabbis.
b.
They are purely practical and provide safety barriers to illness.
c.
They reflect a desire for order in the midst of chaos.
d.
They are no longer observed by most people who practice Judaism today.
28. In her work in Korea, anthropologist Lauren Kendall studied forms of ritual. What
did her analysis of shamanism and public shamanistic rituals note about these
particular practices?
a.
They represent a professionalization of Korean household religion.
b.
They tend to demean Korean household religion.
c.
In the modern era, they are becoming more rational and secular.
d.
They are actively being suppressed by the Korean government.
29. Best-selling epic works of fiction such as Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
center on magic as a real force in society. In Tolkien’s work, the object of interest is
a ring that gives the wearer great power. What kind of magic is Tolkien using in his
fiction in regard to this particular object?
a.
continuous
b.
ritualistic
c.
imitative
d.
contagious
30. George Gmelch discovered that baseball players who use a particular ritual, such
as touching the bill of their cap every time they are up to bat, believe that good
magic
a.
is contagious.
b.
is always consistent.
c.
resides in sacred objects.
d.
is highly effective.
31. What did anthropologist George Gmelch note about baseball as an activity?
a.
It was rife with Christian worship.
b.
It was rife with skeptics.
c.
It was rife with magic.
d.
It was rife with religious tenets.
32. In order to examine the role of religion in community life in Niger, West Africa,
anthropologist Paul Stoller apprenticed with which of the following religious
specialists?
a.
a priest
b.
a witch doctor
c.
a sorcerer
d.
a witch
33. In his work with the Azande people, E. E. Evans-Pritchard found that ________ are
formally taught the knowledge of rituals and medicines and use that knowledge to
thwart the work of witches.
a.
shamans
b.
women
c.
witch doctors
d.
parents
34. What did anthropologist E. E. Evans-Pritchard, who worked among the Azande
people, consider to be an integral part of their religious system?
a.
ritual
b.
magic
c.
rites
d.
ceremony
35. E. E. Evans-Pritchard conducted fieldwork among the Azande and rebuffed Max
Weber’s earlier assertion that science and modernization would lead to the decline
of magic. What was a key element of magic that was highlighted by Evans-
Pritchard’s work?
a.
Magic is irrational.
b.
Magic is scientific.
c.
Magic is ritualistic.
d.
Magic is rational.
36. Most of us routinely trim our fingernails. The cuttings are tossed into the
wastebasket and we don’t usually give it much thought. However, believers of
________ would take special precautions with their fingernail clippings, which
could be used to cast a spell on them.
a.
contagious magic
b.
saints
c.
continuous magic
d.
shamanism
37. Which of the following is considered a type of magic that involves performances
that reproduce the desired result?
a.
imitative magic
b.
ritual magic
c.
contagious magic
d.
continuous magic
38. Some followers of the Voodoo religion in Louisiana use figurines. They pin a
person’s picture or name to the figure, which represents that person’s spirit, in
order to bless or curse them. How would an anthropologist most likely categorize
this practice?
a.
ritual
b.
profane
c.
magic
d.
religious rite of passage
39. In her South Korean community, Seo-yun acts as an intermediary between spirits
or gods and the human world through rituals, songs, and ancestor worship. Which
term best describes Seo-yun?
a.
shaman
b.
saint
c.
martyr
d.
communitas
40. What do anthropologists call a part-time religious practitioner with special abilities
to connect individuals with supernatural powers or beings?
a.
healer
b.
priest
c.
magician
d.
shaman
41. When Max Weber envisioned an evolution of rationalization in religion, he
suggested that a ________ might be the final stage.
a.
rational religion based on legal codes of conduct
b.
traditional religion based on magic
c.
charismatic religion based on persuasive leaders
d.
practical religion based on adaptation on modern economics
42. According to Max Weber, the values of self-denial and self-discipline provided the
ethic necessary for
a.
capitalist exploitation of the masses.
b.
modernity to move forward.
c.
capitalism to flourish.
d.
the defeat of capitalistic enterprises.
43. Which of the following theorists believed that ideas can be just as powerful as
economics in shaping society?
a.
mile Durkheim
b.
Max Weber
c.
Karl Marx
d.
Marvin Harris
44. Which of the following theories contends that religious practices have likely
developed in response to very practical problems as people sought to adapt to the
natural environment?
a.
Marxism
b.
cultural materialism
c.
ritual theory
d.
secularization theory
45. Anthropologist Marvin Harris suggested that human culture is a response to the
practical problems of earthly existence, arguing that society is shaped by
a.
material conditions.
b.
ritual processes.
c.
the relationships between religion and power.
d.
religious beliefs.
46. Karl Marx argued that ________ played a key role in keeping the working poor
from engaging in revolutionary social change that he believed was necessary to
improve their situation.
a.
religion
b.
liminality
c.
communitas
d.
pilgrimages
47. German political philosopher Karl Marx called ________ “the opium of the people.”
a.
rituals
b.
pilgrimage
c.
religion
d.
politics
48. Your college experience leads eventually to your graduation, a ritual process that
ushers you into the “real world,” where you are expected to find a job and be a
productive member of the larger society. In the model of ritual that Victor Turner
describes, the entirety of your experience, including the graduation ceremony itself,
helps to promote
a.
individuation.
b.
liminality.
c.
separation.
d.
communitas.
49. What term is used by Victor Turner to identify the final stage of a rite of passage
that involves the return of the individual to the everyday life of the community?
a.
retrospective
b.
reaction
c.
reincorporation
d.
relegitimization
50. Which of the following, according to Victor Turner, is the first stage of a rite of
passage that involves the physical, psychological, or symbolic removal from the
daily activities of the group?
a.
individuation
b.
separation
c.
reaggregation
d.
liminality
51. In many cultures, a woman’s first menstruation is seen as a powerful marker of
womanhood and frequently marked with a ritual. In some cases, the young woman
is separated from the larger social cohort and left in a state of isolation that may
provide a time for reflection. According to anthropologist Victor Turner, what is this
stage in the ritual process called?
a.
liminality
b.
profane
c.
communitas
d.
sacred
52. In 1931, anthropologist Audrey Richards documented the chisungu ritual, which is
performed by the Bemba people in Zambia. To anthropologists, this women-only
ritual that centers on menstruation and marriage is an example of
a.
a rite of passage.
b.
liminal engagement.
c.
sacredness.
d.
religious fervor.
53. An anthropologist studying football in the United States might find that taboos,
sacred objects, and ________ are in almost constant use.
a.
religion
b.
anomie
c.
liminality
d.
ritual
54. Émile Durkheim argued that ________ was key to allowing a society to regenerate
its sense of social solidarity.
a.
ritual
b.
sacrifice
c.
worship
d.
anomie
55. The upheaval brought about by the Industrial Revolution led to profound changes
in the nature of production and labor as well as the displacement of people as they
sought out ways to make a living in the face of these changes. French sociologist
Émile Durkheim observed this upheaval and called it
a.
habitus.
b.
communitas.
c.
anomie.
d.
alienation.
56. In Catholic religious services, the priest often intones the liturgy in Latin, which
helps to preserve the continuity of both the religion and the service. In Durkheim’s
view, this might be considered a form of
a.
ritual.
b.
liminality.
c.
rejection of the profane.
d.
anomie.
57. The French sociologist Émile Durkheim developed the notion of a fundamental
dichotomy between which of the following sets of ideas that has been used by
anthropologists in examining religion?
a.
forbidden and allowed
b.
evil and holy
c.
unclean and dirty
d.
sacred and profane
58. In Japan, the second Monday of January is a national Coming of Age Day. Young
people who have turned twenty years old in the past year wear traditional clothing,
attend ceremonies in local government offices, and celebrate at parties afterward.
Coming of Age Day is an example of
a.
a pilgrimage.
b.
imitative magic.
c.
a religious practice.
d.
a rite of passage.
59. In Mary Douglas’s exploration of “The Abominations of Leviticus,” which key
concept did she borrow from Durkheim for understanding Jewish dietary laws?
a.
shamanism and witchcraft
b.
the sacred and the profane
c.
cultural materialism
d.
religion and power
60. In anthropology, a ritual in which a person enters the ritual as one category of
person in society and through the ritual is transformed into a new category of
person is called
a.
magic.
b.
the sacred.
c.
cultural materialism.
d.
a rite of passage.
61. Émile Durkheim believed ________ could play a key role in addressing anomie in
society and could thus reduce the number of suicides.
a.
religion and ritual
b.
shamans and witches
c.
pilgrimages and magic
d.
sorcery and rationalism
62. Émile Durkheim understood religion as a social process that helped to create
social solidarity, cohesion, and stability. He feared that the absence of religion, a
powerful tool of creating social solidarity, would lead people to feel a greater
degree of alienation. He believed that this helped explain the rise of ________ in
late nineteenth-century France.
a.
suicides
b.
shamans
c.
rituals
d.
pilgrimages
63. Spanish conquistadors and missionaries were struck by the Aztecs’ use of human
sacrifice and cannibalism in some of their religious ceremonies. One anthropologist
argued that these rituals of human sacrifice and cannibalism developed because
there were not enough protein sources in the Valley of Mexico, and therefore
protein from humans (who were almost always consumed by the elites) filled the
void. This explanation is an example of what theory of religion.?
a.
cultural materialism
b.
magic
c.
secularization
d.
symbolism
64. Kurt Cobain, the deceased front man of the famed 1990s grunge band Nirvana,
famously wore a green cardigan at a 1993 performance. Since that concert the
cardigan has never been washed and still has its original stains. It just sold at
auction for $334,000, even though it was not originally expensive. The value that
this object now has is an example of
a.
contagious magic.
b.
speculative magic.
c.
sorcery.
d.
imitative magic.
65. Anthropologists have identified various characteristics that most religions have in
common. These characteristics are not strictly or absolutely shared across all
religions, but they are seen in most religions. Which of the following is not a
characteristic that may be observed in most religions?
a.
belief in powers or deities whose abilities transcend those of the natural world
b.
myths and stories that reflect on the meaning and purpose of life, its origins,
and humans’ place in the universe
c.
ritual activities that reinforce, recall, instill, and explore collective beliefs
d.
professionally trained leaders that head congregations
66. The text discusses a tiny courtyard in India where a Muslim healer named Amma
meets dozens of patients daily. Amma’s healing room crosses seemingly rigid
gender boundaries, since she is a female healer in a position of spiritual
leadership. What other seemingly rigid boundaries does Amma’s healing room
cross?
a.
ethnic boundaries, since Amma is biracial
b.
boundaries between science and religion, since Amara uses medicine to heal
c.
age boundaries, since Amma was one of the youngest healers in India
d.
religious boundaries, since followers of many religions come to see her
67. The text describes the Muslim shrine of the saint Husain Tekri and the rituals that
pilgrims to this shrine participate in to venerate this long-deceased Muslim martyr.
What is one of the characteristics of this particular example that demonstrates the
local adaptation and flexibility of religious practice?
a.
pilgrims from a variety of different faiths, not just Muslims
b.
the use of loban, a rock-like incense mined nearby
c.
pilgrims who often stay for a long period of time
d.
pilgrims who all seek healing
68. ________ are people who are considered exceptionally close to God and are
exalted after their deaths.
a.
Priests
b.
Nuns
c.
Saints
d.
Popes
69. ________ are people who sacrifice their lives for the sake of their religion.
a.
Saints
b.
Martyrs
c.
Pilgrims
d.
Dargahs
70. Anthropological research illustrates that people make a religious tradition come
alive in their own context through local expressions and adaptations. Which of the
following is an example of this?
a.
In India, Hindu and Muslim pilgrims both seek the healing powers of the
Husain Tekri shrine.
b.
Christians around the world read and study the Bible.
c.
All religions engage in ritual activities that reinforce collective beliefs.
d.
People sacrifice their lives for the sake of their religion.
71. Whether studying a small temple in a remote village or the most famous Catholic
cathedral in Rome, anthropologists try to convey each religion’s sense of moral
order, dynamic public expressions, and
a.
truthfulness.
b.
appeal in order to convert new followers.
c.
connection to all the major world religions.
d.
interactions with other systems of meaning and power.
72. Anthropologists are primarily interested in which aspect of religion?
a.
whether a religion is true or false
b.
the everyday religious practice of people in their local communities
c.
what is required to validate or invalidate a given religion
d.
the universal principles that all religions have in common
73. What is one of the primary reasons why the study of religion in anthropology is
difficult?
a.
Religion is no longer an important aspect of modern, secular societies.
b.
The lack of variation in religious expression makes religion uninteresting to
anthropologists.
c.
There is a wide range of local religious expression.
d.
The range of religions is so vast that it is not possible to study them
effectively.
74. On what basis do people often make sense of the world, reach decisions, and
organize their lives?
a.
their religious beliefs
b.
their society’s social organization
c.
their ability to falsify the religions of others
d.
a theoretical understanding of religious practices
75. Anthropologists typically conduct fieldwork as participant observers, living in and
coexisting with the people they study. Why is it that anthropologists believe religion
can also be successfully studied in this manner?
a.
Religion can only be understood by participating in formal religious services.
b.
Religion is lived out in a community of people.
c.
Participant observation can reveal if a religion is true or false.
d.
Religion is useful as a theoretical understanding of daily life.
76. What does Reverend Dr. K Karpen’s proclamations regarding immigration policy
reflect about the role of religion in human culture?
a.
Religion is separate from political life and events.
b.
Religion is often a personal experience rather than a community experience.
c.
Religion in the United States’ culture usually encourages citizens to support
more progressive policies.
d.
Religion is often heavily intertwined with a culture’s social and political
discussions.
Answer Key
chapter 15
