[Bilimsel Haber] Prof. Ellison seminer duyurusu

[Ceren Lordoglu]

Texas Üniversitesi Sosyoloji Bölümü Öğretim Üyelerinden Prof.Dr.
Christopher Ellison, 13 Ekim 2010 tarihinde Üniversitemiz Şile Kampüsünde
bir seminer, 15 Ekim 2010 tarihinde ise Üniversitemiz Maslak Kampüsünde
bir konferans verecektir. Seminerin ve konferansın tarihleri, yeri,
saatleri, ayrıca başlıkları ve özetleri aşağıda belirtilmiştir.


Prof.Dr. Gülden Güvenç
Işık Üniversitesi
Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi
Psikoloji Bölümü



Prof.Dr. Christopher Ellison's Presentations:


Date:   13th of October 2010
Place:  Işık University, Şile Campus, DMF 114
Time:   10.00 - 12.00
            14.00 - 16.00

Seminar on 'Religion, marriage, and family life: Current research and
future prospects'

After remaining dormant for approximately two decades, research on the
role of religious factors in marital and family life is enjoying a
resurgence in the US (and to a lesser extent in other western societies).
This talk will provide an introduction to theory and findings in this line
of work, which engages scholars in sociology, psychology, human
development and family studies, demography, and allied fields. First, I
will set the stage by briefly summarizing patterns and trends in (a)
religious affiliation, practice, and belief, and (b) marriage and family
patterns in the US. Second, I will review relevant theoretical arguments
explaining why facets of individuals' and couples' religion might be
expected to influence relationship processes and outcomes, and related
aspects of family life. Third, I will offer an overview of evidence
linking religious factors with marital stability and dissolution,
relationship commitment and satisfaction, conflict and conflict
resolution, sexual infidelity, and domestic violence. Here I will provide
information about several  recent studies on these specific topics. I will
also discuss the important issue of patriarchy, especially as it involves
conservative Protestant and sectarian faith groups in the US, and will
explore available evidence of religious variations in gender role
attitudes and practices, housework patterns, and women's perceptions of
fairness in the division of household labor. Finally, I will outline
several important emerging directions of research on religion,
spirituality, and family life.


Date:   15th of October 2010
Place:  Işık University, Maslak Campus,
Time:   14.00 - 16.00

Conference on 'The social context of religion and spirituality in the
United States'

Researchers have consistently concluded that, by most conventional
indicators, the United States is one of the most religious nations in the
industrialized western world. Moreover, despite evidence that national
wealth and GDP tend to erode religiousness in most societies, the US
experience remains a stubborn outlier --or so it seems. In this talk, I
will explore what recent social and behavioral science research can tell
us about the nature of religion and spirituality in the US. First, I will
examine quantitative patterns and trends in religious affiliation since
1960, and the leading explanations for these dynamics. This section of the
talk will center on (a) the growth of conservative Protestant and
sectarian groups, and non-denominational (primarily charismatic)
congregations; (b) the decline of more moderate, mainline Protestant
bodies; (c) the modest growth of Roman Catholicism; (d) the expansion of
non-Christian faiths; and (e) the sharp rise in irreligion. The latter
phenomenon includes several distinct sets of Americans, such as those who
are disenchantead with organized religion, those who are pursuing
individualized, personal spiritualities, agnostics, and avowed atheists.
Second, I will explore patterns and shifts in levels of religious
practice, both organizational (e.g., attendance at worship services) and
non-organizational (e.g., prayer, scriptural study), as well as core
religious beliefs, and the possible reasons for these changes. Third, I
will outline several key themes that will shape future discussions of
religious life in the US:  (a) the declining significance of
denominational labels and loyalties; (b) religious illiteracy and lack of
familiarity with core doctrinal tenets, particularly among Christians; (c)
the importance of immigration in shaping the religious composition of the
US in the 21st century; (d) the impact of large-scale shifts in family
structure on American religious life; and (e) perhaps most importantly,
the triumph of personalized morality and individualized spirituality over
the authority claims of organized religion and its leaders.