Youth Religiosity Research Articles

Performing Spirituality in the Public Sphere inthe Post-Arab Spring Context

It is commonly acknowledged that many thinkers have predicted a drop in mainstream religious participation and traditional belief, and a retreat of religion from the public sphere in favor of reason and rational thinking. However, religion did “return from exile” with ferocity partly after the Iranian Revolution and remarkably after the 9/11 attacks and the Arab Spring heralding the gradual decline of secularization theory. This comeback of religion does not mean the end of secularism, but rather the conflation or marriage between religion/Islam and secularism forcing Islamic discourse to enter a new phase of post-Islamism and secular discourse to enter a new era of post-secularism. In addition to deconstructing the afore-mentioned concepts and highlighting the role of performance of protest in mobilizing the protesters during the Arab uprisings, my paper is concerned with investigating the issue of spirituality in performance studies and highlighting the reformulation of religion’s place in the Arab public sphere in the post-Arab Spring era. It also argues that the multi-faceted, hybrid and revolutionary post-Islamist public sphere has contributed to the emergence of youth religiosity as a model that is independent of the ideological establishment.

Youth, Religion, Socialization. Changes in youth religiosity and its relationship to denominational education in Hungary

Youth, Religion, Socialization. Changes in youth religiosity and its relationship to denominational education in Hungary

British Muslim youth and religious fundamentalism: a quantitative investigation

Much attention in popular discourse and academic, qualitative research has focused on strengthening ‘fundamentalist’ religiosity among Muslim youth in Britain, and its impact on engendering politicized religious identities and conservative social attitudes. We use new survey data to empirically examine how Muslim youth differ from older Muslims and non-Muslim British peers on religiosity, Islam-specific and broader social attitudes. We find that young Muslims attribute a greater salience to Islam for their personal identity, even though they pray and read scripture less, and support plural interpretations of Islam more than their elders. Like other youth, Muslim youth show liberalizing social attitudes across generations on gay marriage and legal abortion. Notably, like Christian youth, Muslim youth express stronger support for including religion in public debates than their elders. Overall, Muslim youth religiosity although uniquely expressed, influences moral and social attitudes for Muslims similarly to that of Christian or other religious youth.

Adolescent Religiosity and Psychosocial Functioning: Investigating the Roles of Religious Tradition, National-Ethnic Group, and Gender

This study utilized data from over 9,300 youth from 11 national or within-nation ethnic groups to evaluate the relationship between youth religiosity and youth social outcomes (social initiative, antisocial behavior) and psychological outcomes (self-esteem and depression) considering the roles of religious tradition, national-ethnic group, and gender. We created national-ethnic group by religious tradition (NEG × RT) combinations, partitioned religiosity into between-group and within-group components, and performed a series of mixed model regressions for each outcome. The levels of all four outcomes of interest differed significantly across NEG × RT groups, and these differences were attributable to national-ethnic group rather than religious tradition. Youth reports of antisocial behavior and self-esteem were predicted by between-group religiosity. Additionally, within-group religiosity predicted all four outcomes, indicating that the protective role of religiosity functions in a comparative, or relative, manner with youth who are more religious than others in their group reaping the most benefits.

Youth, Religion, Socialization. Changes in youth religiosity and its relationship to denominational education in Hungary

Youth, Religion, Socialization. Changes in youth religiosity and its relationship to denominational education in Hungary

Samen geraakt in wat heilig is

Individualization is one of the core components of contemporary theories of youth religiosity. Recently, this legacy of modernization theory is critically assessed in the sociology of religion, in order to get a better grasp of social aspects of youth religiosity. This article follows the latter track. It presents the results of empirical research amongst 22 participants of the evangelical music festival Xnoizz Flevofestival. The main research question was: ‘How does Xnoizz Flevofestival function as a temporary religious community?’ The research resulted in a description of how the participants experience this festival. It is undergone as a temporary religious community, which allows intense experiences that nourish faith. The form, structure and dynamic of this festival are well adapted to the needs of young people. The festival allows also for different forms of temporary religious community, amongst which being immersed in a big audience for an outdoor worship concert, described as ‘temporary praying community’ is the most important one. In the final section implications are discussed for the theory of religious identity, and for ecclesiological research.

Is religiosity a protective factor? Social epidemiological study of adolescent psychological health

One of the important tasks of epidemiological analyses is mapping protective factors for health promotion. Religiosity is a protective factor which has an impact on all of the three dimensions of health status, among others, it goes together with a longer lifetime, better indicators of health status indicators and quality of life, less anxiety, depression and suicide, more effective coping strategies. In relation to adolescent health, less investigation has been available thus far. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between religiosity and psychological health among adolescents. Regarding religiosity, religious affiliation, religiousness (subjective level of religiosity) and religious participation were assessed. Among health status indicators, occurrence of depressive symptomatology, level of satisfaction with life and self-perceived health were determined. Data collection of the questionnaire survey was going on among 881 high school students in Szeged (age range between 14-20 years, mean = 16.6 years, S.D. = 1.3 years of age, 44.6% of the sample was female). Associations between health status indicators (as dependent variables) and religiosity factors (as independent variables) were assessed using Odds Ratios calculated by logistic regression analyses. Our findings suggest that youth's religiosity had the least effect on depressive symptomatology, whereas youth defined themselves as religious and those who actually participated at religious events perceived their own health better and they were more satisfied with their life. Girls tended to belong more to a religious community and their religiosity was more associated with life satisfaction and self-perceived health. Religiosity is a determinant factor in adolescent psychological health except for depression. Further research is needed to analyze protective factors related to adolescents' health status.

Youth Religiosity and Substance Use: A Meta-Analysis from 1995 to 2007

In this meta-analysis, the magnitude of the protective effects of religiosity on youth involvement in substance use was investigated. Based on 22 studies in peer-reviewed journals published between 1995 and 2007, the average weighted mean correlation was Zr = .16, significant regardless of the definitions of religiosity. The homogeneity test of variance showed consistent protective effects of religiosity on four types of substance use, namely, alcohol, cigarette, marijuana, and other illicit drugs.

The Relations between catholic youth's Religiosity and Well-being: In Archdiocese of Gwang-ju

The Relations between catholic youth's Religiosity and Well-being: In Archdiocese of Gwang-ju

The Transmission of Religious Beliefs across Generations: Do Grandparents Matter?

Despite substantial changes in the family’s structure over the past four decades, parents continue to exert a lasting imprint on the religious ideology and commitments of their children. However, research on the intergenerational transmission of religious beliefs, values and practices to younger generations has not included the ways in which grandparents- particularly grandmothers-influence the religiosity of youth. Drawing on the Longitudinal Study of Generations (LSOG), we examined the extent to which grandmothers and parents influence the religious beliefs of adolescent and young adult grandchildren. First, we asked whether grandmothers influence the religious beliefs of their grandchildren independently of the grandchildren ’s parents. Our results indicated that grandmothers and grandchildren resembled one another on a series of statements conveying conservative religious beliefs and attitudes . Second, we examined patterns of religious transmission from grandmothers and parents to their children. We found that grandmothers transmitted their religious beliefs to grandchildren more strongly when mothers were more religious. Our third research question asked whether parental divorce weakens religious continuity across generations. We found that divorce adversely affected religious transmission from mothers to their children, but not from fathers and grandmothers. In addressing our fourth research question about the role of gender in religious transmission, we found that religious similarity between grandmothers and granddaughters was particularly strong. In general, our study showed a significant degree of religious similarity across three generations in the family, and offers an expanded view of religious socialization by considering grandmothers as active contributors to the religious beliefs of contemporary young adults.

Transmission of Religious Beliefs across Generations: Do Grandparents Matter?

Despite substantial changes in the family’s structure over the past four decades, parents continue to exert a lasting imprint on the religious ideology and commitments of their children. However, research on the intergenerational transmission of religious beliefs, values and practices to younger generations has not included the ways in which grandparents-particularly grandmothers-influence the religiosity of youth. Drawing on the Longitudinal Study ofGenerations (LSOG), we examined the extent to which grandmothers and parents influence the religious beliefs of adolescent and young adult grandchildren. First, we asked whether grandmothers influence the religious beliefs oftheir grandchildren independently ofthe grandchildren’s parents. Our results indicated that grandmothers and grandchildren resembled one another on a series of statements conveying conservative religious beliefs and attitudes. Second, we examined patterns ofreligious transmission from grandmothers and parents to their children. We found that grandmothers transmitted their religious beliefs to grandchildren more strongly when mothers were more religious. Our third research question asked whether parental divorce weakens religious continuity across generations. We found that divorce adversely affected religious transmission from mothers to their children, but not from fathers and grandmothers. In addressing our fourth research question about the role of gender in religious transmission, we found that religious similarity between grandmothers and granddaughters was particularly strong. In general, our study showed a significant degree ofreligious similarity across three generations in the family, and offers an expanded view of religious socialization by considering grandmothers as active contributors to the religious beliefs of contemporary young-adults.

Praying, Playing, and Successful Families

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family religiosity, family leisure, and family functioning. The sample consisted of 121 parents and 99 youth from various religious groups. Results indicated a positive relationship between family religiosity and family leisure. Both family religiosity and family leisure had a significant relationship with family functioning in this sample. Data collected from both parents and youth provided insight into the influence of family religiosity and family leisure on family functioning. Family religiosity was the strongest predictor of family functioning for parents. For youth, both family leisure and family religiosity were significant predictors of family functioning. Findings provide specific implications for future family leisure research, as well as for parents and professionals who work with families.

Non-institutional Religious Re-composition among the Chinese Youth

English The author seeks answers to the perplexing phenomenon: the increasing widespread youth religiosity in contemporary China. How is it possible for young people to acquire such religiosity in a society where the State vigorously opposes religion through its policy and practice? Using data from my own and others’ field observation and investigations, I show that in the past two decades, religious representations and practices have filtered to the Chinese through a variety of secular and non-institutional forms in the widening social and cultural space. These new reformulations of the religious traditions in turn have provided the youth with a wealth of symbolic references from which they can select according to their personal needs. To some extent, the strict state control of the religious institutions contributes ironically to the thriving growth of the individual, non-institutional and sectarian forms of the religiosity among the youth in contemporary China. French L'auteur cherche des réponses à un phénomène troublant: la religiosité croissante et répandue des jeunes de la Chine contemporaine. Comment est-il possible pour ces jeunes d'acquérir une telle religiosité dans une société où l'État s'oppose vigoureusement à la religion dans ses politiques et ses pratiques? En utilisant des données propres et issues du champ d'observation et d'investigation d'autres chercheurs, l'auteur montre que pendant les deux dernières décennies, les représentations et pratiques religieuses se sont infiltrées parmi les Chinois à travers une grande variété de formes séculières et non-institutionnelles dans un espace social et culturel s'élargissant. Ces nouvelles reformulations des traditions religieuses ont, à leur tour, fourni aux jeunes une richesse de références symboliques, parmi lesquelles ils peuvent effectuer une sélection selon leurs besoins personnels. Dans une certaine mesure, le contrÂle étatique strict des institutions religieuses contribue ironiquement à la croissance vigoureuse de formes individuelles, non-institutionnelles et sectaires de religiosité parmi les jeunes de la Chine contemporaine.

Predictors of Religiosity Among Youth Aged 17–22: A Longitudinal Study of the National Survey of Children

Predictors of youth religiosity were developed from eight domains: childhood training, religious schooling, cognitive ability, psychodynamic need, parenting style, role models, family life cycle, and background demographics. Data are from the National Survey of Children (NSC). Predictors were assessed when participants were 7–11 and 11–16 years of age. Religiosity was assessed when participants were 17–22 years (N = 1,046). After identifying the best predictors within a domain, an across‐domain regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictors' relative contributions. The best predictors of youth religiosity were ethnicity and peers' church attendance during high school. Other predictors were, in order of decreasing magnitude: residence in the south, gender, religious schooling during childhood, maternal religiosity, church attendance during childhood, the importance mothers placed on childhood religious training, and an interaction variable identifying religious mothers who were very supportive. These analyses attest to the primacy of religious role models in the development of youth religiosity.

Croyants Non Pratiquants: La Religiosité de la Jeunesse Iranienne et Ses Implications Pour la Théorie de la Sécularisation

Experiencing a mass Islamic revolution in the late 1970s, Iranian society has become known as strongly religious. Now, nearly 20 years after the revolution, it is relevant to examine the extent of religiosity among Iranian youth. Applying a multi-dimensional scale of religiosity (Glock and Stark's model), the religiosity of a sample of 391 high school students in Tehran was measured. The data revealed that the respondents tended to be highly religious. However, this was more pronounced in the area of beliefs and feelings than in following religious codes in everyday life and religious practices. Moreover, some elements of the religious attitudes of these young people seem paradoxical and need further explanation. The author presents a picture of the religiosity of Iranian youth and attempts to draw out the implications of this religiosity for secularization theory.

Clusters of religiosity of Portuguese undergraduate youth

This article presents results of the author’s PhD thesis based on religious beliefs and practices, and attitudes of towards marriage, life, and sexuality. The sample included 500 undergraduate students from public universities of Lisbon. Applying multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis to these beliefs, practices, and attitudes, three clusters or types of religiosity were produced: nuclear Catholics, intermediate Catholics, and non-Catholics. These clusters were characterised in terms of religious socialisation, as well as of non-Catholic beliefs and practices, and aspects of life. When crossed with these last items, the clusters were renamed respectively: socio-centred orthodox, ambitious heterodox, activist and hedonist non-believers.