Emile Durkheim argued that religion is very important to the unity of the group. He argued that religious beliefs belong to the group, not just individuals. Members feel united to each other by the fact that they share these beliefs. These ideas are translated into shared practices that further reinforce the group identity. Durkheim applied his argument to Aboriginal tribes. While most of the time, tribal members participate in common/profane activities such as hunting and gathering, occasionally they gather together to celebrate the group. These occasions tend to be high energy and are treated as sacred events along with the objects involved in the celebration. These collective, high energy gatherings result in what Durkheim labeled, “collective effervescence,” a feeling of profound oneness, unity, belonging. According to Durkheim, these highly emotional gatherings are fundamentally important in maintaining collective unity and identity and need to be periodically repeated to maintain unity.

After watching the videos, what do you think of Durkheim’s notion of collective effervescence? Do you think it reflects modern religious settings? Do you think religious rituals reinforce group unity and identity? Do you think the notion of collective effervescence can be applied to non-religious settings? Can it be as powerful a unifying force in non-religious settings?

Make sure to answer each part of the question. Submit your answers through the Turn-It-In link by Sunday, January 26. Essays will be graded on a check system. An essay that is well organized and fully answers the question will receive a ✓ + (100 points). An essay that does not fully answer the question and/or is not well organized will receive a ✓ (75 points). An essay that makes a minimal effort to answer the question will receive a ✓ – (50 points). Remember that essays do not have to be long (100-500 words) but stay on track and answer all parts of the question.