Chapter 14: Globalization and Religion

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. The process by which the entire world is becoming more economically and socially interdependent is ______.

A. fundamentalism

B. cultural homogenization

C. secularization

D. globalization

2. When were Judaism, Confucianism, and Hinduism founded?

A. in the Traditional Era

B. in the First Globalization

C. in the Axial Age

D. in the Abrahamic Age

3. Today, the largest religious traditions around the world are Christianity, Islam, and ______.

A. Judaism

B. Buddhism

C. Hinduism

D. unaffiliated

4. The process of globalization that contributes to the decline in family ties is ______.

A. the spread of individualism

B. the structural interdependence of states

C. changing socialization processes

D. collective celebrations

5. Which of the following is considered the first global celebration?

A. honoring the conclusion of World War II

B. establishment of the International Court

C. bringing in the new millennium

D. celebration of the Nobel Peace Prize

6. Which of the following is occurring across all religious traditions?

A. the acceptance of globalization

B. the rise of religious fundamentalism

C. the privatization of religion

D. the emphasis on similarity across religions

7. Shared characteristics of fundamentalist movements include radicalism, scripturalism, and ______.

A. institutional differentiation

B. puritanism

C. relativism

D. privatization

8. The authors characterize the goals of ISIS as ______.

A. pursuing hybridization of purist and modernist Islam

B. transforming Islamic understandings

C. distinctively antimodern

D. individualist

9. Which of the following responses to globalization is most likely to be embraced by liberals?

A. privatization of religion

B. return to scriptures

C. establishment of ethnonational identities

D. syncretism of religious rituals

10. Active engagement as a response to globalization entails ______.

A. forming a global religion

B. embracing a literalistic understanding of scriptures

C. establishing distinct ethnonational identities

D. emphasizing the “oneness” of the world

11. When transnationalism first developed, it referred to migration from ______ to ______.

A. developed countries; developing countries

B. developing countries; developed countries

C. Christian countries; non-Christian countries

D. non-Christian countries; Christian countries

12. Which of the following is an example of a short-term transnational movement?

A. migrating with the intention of returning home in retirement

B. joining a religiously militant group

C. living as a missionary in another country for a year

D. maintaining connections between two churches

13. Which of the following is an example of a pilgrimage?

A. A Muslim travels to Mecca to complete their Hajj.

B. A group of students go on a short-term mission trip.

C. An immigrant returns home to visit family.

D. A missionary establishes a relationship between two churches.

14. McDonald’s restaurants in India do not serve beef to honor Hindu beliefs. This is an example of ______.

A. relativization

B. transformation

C. globalization

D. glocalization

15. When an immigrant community maintains their home culture while connect with the host culture, they are practicing ______.

A. relativization

B. accommodation

C. hybridization

D. transformation

16. When one religious tradition dominates a country and diverse identities start to blur, ______ can result.

A. religiously militant peace

B. syncretism

C. ethnonationalism

D. hybridization

17. When was conversion and proselytizing the main motivations for connecting with other cultures?

A. before the 1700s

B. 1700s–1800s

C. 1900s

D. post–2000

18. Today, most faith-based international organizations are focused on ______.

A. creating a global religion

B. spreading Christian values

C. gaining new converts

D. providing humanitarian aid

19. When an immigrant group maintains their practices and remains distant from host culture, they may be practicing ______.

A. relativization

B. accommodation

C. hybridization

D. transformation

20. What is the primary means by which religion is carried around the world today?

A. ethnonationalism

B. global religious communities

C. immigration

D. short-term mission trips

Essay

When it comes to essay questions, students sometimes write poorly because they are guessing about what the instructor wants, even if the question seems to be perfectly clear. For that reason we strongly recommend provision of an audience (so students know how much to assume in use of sociological vocabulary as well as how much must be made explicit) and criteria for evaluation (which is information that any writer needs to know). Below are two sample statements that might be used as part of an essay question.

A. This essay calls for presentation and defense of an informed opinion. You should write for a well-educated reader, but one unfamiliar with sociological approaches to the study of religion. You will be graded on (a) provision of a clearly stated thesis, (b) the clarity and sophistication of your rationale, and (c) the ability to support your argument with strong evidence. Sophistication of rationale refers to awareness of the complexity of the issues. The side of the argument that you support is irrelevant to the grading criteria.

B. Your audience for this essay should be senior sociology majors who know sociological vocabulary, but have never specifically studied the sociology of religion. The criteria for evaluation will be (1) accuracy of explanation, (2) clarity of illustrations or examples, and (3) thoroughness in exploring all dimensions of the issue.

Since some of these questions call for careful reflection, you might consider giving students a list of these and other essay questions in advance.

1. What is globalization? Be sure to explain the interdependent processes that contribute to globalization.

2. How have globalization and resultant cultural diversity contributed to the rise of liberal theologies?

3. How have globalization and resultant cultural diversity contributed to the rise of fundamentalist movements?

4. Compare and contrast how short term versus long-term transnational movements create transnational religious connections.

5. What is glocalization? Provide two examples of how religion can glocalize, and explain their significance.

6. How has globalization contributed to religiously militant war? Religiously militant peace?

7. What constitutes a fundamentalist movement? How does ISIS exemplify a fundamentalist movement?

8. Does global harmony and genuine cooperation require some global religion? If so, how will this affect existing world religions? If not, what does the lack of importance of global religion say about the role and the vitality of religion in the future?