Explaining Central American Pentecostalism Within Social Inequality And Conflict: On Habitus-Analysis As A Clue To Describe Religious Praxis

2017

Sociology

Studies on the relationship between social class and religion tend to highlight the demographic dimension of class, but neglect its symbolic dimension. By addressing the symbolic dimensions through a Bourdieuian approach, this article contends that religious tastes and styles can be employed as class markers within the sphere of religion. A case study on Argentinean Pentecostalism and in-depth analysis of a lower and middle class church illustrate how symbolic class differences are cultivated in the form of distinctive religious styles. While the lower class church displays a style marked by emotional expressiveness and the search for life improvement through spiritual practices, the middle class church performs a sober and calm style of Pentecostalism. The study highlights the role of styles in the reproduction of class boundaries, while shedding a critical light on the importance of tastes.

Section: A Bourdieuian Theory Of Religious Tastes and Stylesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religious Tastes and Styles as Markers of Class Belonging: A Bourdieuian Perspective on Pentecostalism in South America

2017

Sociology

“…The recent increase in Pentecostalism in the middle class is challenging this view. For example, scholars have noted that in Central America the so-called Neo-Pentecostalism is popular among the middle classes (Garcia-Ruiz, 2007;Schäfer, 2011a). Specific styles of Pentecostalism, that differ from those that originally attracted "the downtrodden" appeal to the middle classes in this region.…”

Section: Pentecostalism and Class Culturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because these preferences are related to the class background of actors (Sherkat and Wilson, 1995), religious affiliation and style are likely to be chosen along class lines and can constitute class markers, similar to food and clothing. Finally, studies employing Bourdieuian frameworks to study class differences in religion (Koehrsen, 2018; Nelson, 2009; Schäfer, 2011, 2015) find that both religious affiliation and religious practices demarcate class boundaries: distinctive religious styles reflect class aesthetics and indicate class belonging. Nevertheless, upper- and middle-class actors may also refrain from showing class differences in religion: settings that allow for more relaxed performances or even require the downplaying of class differences are likely to invite more omnivorous styles that involve lowbrow religious practices.…”

Section: Distinction: a Matter Of Religion And Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

From the ‘What’ and ‘How’ to the ‘Where’: Class Distinction as a Matter of Place

2019

Cultural Sociology

Research on the symbolic boundary work of upper-and middle-class actors has placed a greater emphasis on the "what" and "how" of cultural consumption than on the "where". However, the spaces where actors move are important: the "what" and "how" of marking distinction vary according to national class cultures and cultural fields. This article focusses on the "where" arguing that interaction settings shape actors' boundary work. Based upon research on Argentinean Pentecostalism, the study shows that middle-class Pentecostals switch between distinction-marking and "omnivore" performances of Pentecostalism depending on the social permeability of the spaces where they move. These insights suggest that the contextual conditions in which actors present themselves as "omnivores" or "snobs" deserve more attention.

“…While traditional Pentecostalism, that 10 predominantly expanded in the lowest socio-economic classes, is characterized by a worldrejecting attitude, scholars of religion describe middle class Pentecostalism as more strongly orientated towards society (cf. Freston 1997:190-193,198-199;Garcia-Ruiz 2007;Hallum 2002:227,233-235;Schäfer 2005;Schäfer 2009b;Schäfer 2011).…”

Section: Mccs As Adapting To Their Social Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Sects Become Middle Class: Impression Management among Middle-Class Pentecostals in Argentina

2017

Sociology of Religion

Sect-to-church theory assumes that sects will become more church-like, as members' socioeconomic status improves: abandoning tension-related characteristics, they decrease the level of tension with their social environment. Studying Pentecostal middle class congregations (MCCs) in Argentina, this article shows that the reduction of tension involves impression management: the studied MCCs display middle class features (e.g. educational training) and selectively shield tension-related practices (e.g. glossolalia) from the glances of non-Pentecostal peers. Instead of abandoning tension-related practices to reduce tension, MCCs strategically adjust their religious practices depending on the extent to which these are accessible for relevant outsiders, switching between sect-like and church-like styles of religion.