Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis presents a new assessment of the identity and historical significance of Marguerite Porete, burned for heresy in Paris in 1310, and reconnects her to a vigorous, lay, discourse community that threatened the authority of the later medieval church. The thesis argues that a bilateral annihilation of Porete as an historical subject has been brought about by medieval and modern representations, and that this has served to obscure the presence of a subaltern religious discourse in the period. The historiography of Porete has followed distinctive stages of development that reflect, and are affected by, concurrent advances in the study of medieval female religious participation. This interplay has led to the development of a particularly influential hermeneutics that serves to exclude Porete from her contemporaries. Analysis of documentation issuing from Porete’s condemnation has similarly been influenced by hermeneutic issues that manipulate the ways in which Porete is perceived as an identity. This thesis challenges dominant representations of Porete in the scholarship and argues that Porete’s identity and discourse reflect a particularly vigorous, fluid and cross-discoursed lay engagement with religiosity that has roots in the precocious socio-religious environment of the Southern Low Countries. Central to the aims of this thesis is the question “how did Porete ‘fit’ the religious landscape of her period?” A seeming obstacle to this pursuit are claims from within the scholarship that Porete did not ‘fit’ at all, but was, rather, as an aberration amidst other female mystics of the period. Clear links, however, have suggested a wider discourse community and some have identified her, in conjunction with those that condemned her in Paris, as a beguine. Yet this affiliation is refuted by Porete within her book and the term, as an indicator of identity, is highly problematic. This thesis explores the historiographical issues that cloud Porete’s case and offers a reassessment of the possibilities her reconnection to the major religious currents of her day presents. It will be argued that her condemnation represents a major historical development wherein the boundaries of institutionally accepted discourse were hardened at the very moment when the possibilities for religious discourse were at their peak. Porete will thus be reassessed as a major figure in an alternative religious discourse that represents the excluded voice of lay engagement in the later Middle Ages.

Many researchers have examined religiosity, including measures of religiosity. However, researchers studying religiosity have often ignored behaviors associated with religion. The present research attempts to open up this area by constructing a measure of religiosity based completely on a study of overt behavior. The Behavioral Religiosity Inventory (BRI) determines which specific behaviors participants express as devotion to their religions and how much time they spend engaging in those religious activities. This measure of religiosity was constructed from responses given as part of focus groups, which provided valuable information about the daily religious life of college students. Three hundred ten college students were recruited and successfully completed all of the measures and requirements of this study, which included the BRI, and four other scales and demographic questions to validate the new measure. An exploratory factor analysis indicated that the BRI could assess three factors, Independent Activities, Ritualistic Traditional Activities, and Group Activities. Internal consistency was excellent for the overall survey, and the Independent and Group Activities factors. Finally, the validity coefficients comparing the BRI and the other measures of religiosity supported the validity of the BRI. The measure seemed to be well supported by all evidence.

The present study focuses on the further development of the increasingly popular field of spirituality and religiosity in the workplace (SRW) by providing a parsimonious definition, and a three dimensional model for the construct of spirituality grounded in the historical tradition of the perennial philosophy. The study subsequently adopts a multi-study validation process to develop the 21 item universal spirituality scale (USS). By creating a definition for spirituality that has a firm historical grounding and a universal outlook, the study addresses the dilemma of Religiosity vs. Spirituality faced by researchers in this area. This is further supported by the use of multiple samples and participants from three major world faith traditions (both eastern and western). The three factor model for spirituality derived in Study A (n=159) is corroborated by a separate sample of participants in Study B (n=181). The USS shows high levels of internal consistency reliability (α = 0.90, inter-item correlation = 0.32, and split-half, Guttman's coefficient value of 0.77). In Study C, criterion related validity is established by conducting a comparison of the USS with the DUREL - Duke University Religiosity Index (Koenig & Bussing, 2010). Results show that correlations were moderately high (0.20 to 0.41) at significance levels of 0.05 and 0.01 between expected factors for the DUREL and USS. Notably, there is no significant correlation for the factor of Universality (USS) indicating discriminant validity. Group differences for spirituality are measured in Study D (Known-groups validity). The results of parametric and non-parametric tests in Study D clearly illustrate that the USS is sensitive enough to detect differences in means in expected directions when administered to two different groups. Finally, high levels of test-retest reliability are noted in Study E (R = 0.73). Overall, the universal spirituality scale (USS) exhibits strong levels of validity and reliability. The study addresses the concerns surrounding the literature in the SRW area by offering a definition and universal framework for spirituality as well as a reliable and valid instrument for its measurement.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-11-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:14:26Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 miguel_if_me_prud.pdf: 1607945 bytes, checksum: 97f6c179ba4493ea92263b45aea7de20 (MD5) / Secretaria Estadual de Educação / Esse trabalho apresenta alguns questionamentos sobre religiosidade e as relações de gênero dela decorrentes que merecem um espaço nas pautas das discussões cujo tema é a construção da cidadania e da emancipação humana. Procuramos mostrar que tais questões embora presentes no cotidiano escolar, foram se tornando corriqueiras a ponto de tornarem-se imperceptíveis aos sujeitos que as vivenciam. O texto trata das relações de gênero instituídas por meio da religião, com enfoque nas professoras crentes da Congregação Cristã no Brasil, uma igreja que conta com um número considerável de fiéis e que apresenta características diferenciadas das demais igrejas pentecostais. Discute-se alguns conceitos que se cruzam e entrecruzam ao longo do trabalho, e se encerra concluindo que embora o discurso circulante afirme que “religião não se discute”, se faz necessário incluir na pauta das discussões as questões referentes à identidade/diferença, produzidas pelas religiões, apesar da complexidade dessa tarefa já que não se constitui numa questão gerada no interior de movimentos sociais, e nem possui características reivindicatórias de nenhum grupo social. / This paper presents some queries about religiosity and the gender relations related to them that deserve to be discussed whose theme is the construction of citizenship and human emancipation. However, such queries are present in school routine; they were so common that became imperceptible to the ones who lived it, The text deals with gender relations instituted by religion, focusing on protestant teachers from “ Congregação Cristã no Brasil” a church which has a great number of followers and has different characteristics from other Pentecostal churches. Some concepts that crossed and intercrossed throughout the paper are discussed, and it ends concluding that, although circulating speech claims that “we must not discuss religion”, it is an issue needed to be discussed referring to identity/differences, created by religions, in despite of complexity of this task because it is not a query generated inside social movements, and neither has characteristics of vindication from any social group.

Violent conflicts and social unrest in the Middle East, in Central Asia, and in Africa have led to growing numbers of persons seeking refuge in Europe since 2011. The phenomenon culminated in 2015. In that year, with 88,300 new asylum applications, Austria was the 4th largest receiver of asylum seekers in the EU, thereby increasing visibly religious diversity in the country. Using two social surveys carried out in 2015 and in 2017 among asylum seekers and refugees, we study religious affiliation, religiosity, and attitudes as well as participation in religious groups. By focusing on the time span shortly after arriving in Austria, we aim to shed light on first steps in the host society and the multi-layered roles of religion for participation and integration. We provide a comparison with the host society in terms of religious affiliation and religiosity, and discuss recent qualitative research on refugees and religiosity. Insights into the engagement of refugees in several activities related to religion or not are valuable to shed light on the multi-layered characteristics of the recent inflow of forced migrants in Austria.

Este trabalho procurou identificar, compreender e discutir a presença da religiosidade no modo como moças e rapazes de 15 a 25 anos, praticantes de diferentes religiões, vivem, idealizam e constroem sua trajetória sexual-afetiva. A análise e discussão foram elaboradas a partir do material coletado em 18 entrevistas e em dois grupos focais. Os jovens entrevistados eram membros ativos de uma Igreja Católica, uma Igreja da Assembleia de Deus, uma Igreja Adventista da Promessa, uma Igreja Episcopal Anglicana, dois Terreiros de Candomblé e dois Terreiros de Umbanda. Um dos grupos focais foi formado com jovens adeptos de dois Terreiros de Umbanda e o outro com jovens de uma Igreja Adventista da Promessa. Neste trabalho, parte-se do pressuposto que a sexualidade é uma construção social que integra as trajetórias de vida e se insere nas teias da experiência afetiva da juventude. A religiosidade é concebida como constitutiva do repertório variado que compõe a socialização da juventude, especialmente quando se trata de jovens praticantes de alguma religião. A questão deste estudo foi compreender a interação entre sexualidade e religiosidade, a partir de cenas, percepções e ideias colocadas pelo próprio jovem religioso, entendido aqui como sujeito plural. Questões e relações entre as moralidades religiosas e o avanço no campo dos direitos sexuais e direitos reprodutivos também são discutidas, tendo, como pano de fundo teórico e normativo, a perspectiva dos direitos humanos. Como resultado, é proposta uma reflexão a partir do sujeito plural sexual, de direito e religioso que constrói sua subjetividade em contexto e apresenta capacidade de reeditar discursos para suas escolhas na vida. A ampliação do debate entre os sujeitos de diferentes segmentos, que apresentam discursos conflitantes, também é uma proposta deste trabalho, para que, na perspectiva de uma sociedade cada vez mais laica, se possa avançar na ampliação dos direitos individuais, especialmente no campo da sexualidade e reprodução. / This research work intended to identify, comprehend and discuss the presence of religiosity in the way young religious followers, men and women from 15 to 25 years old, live, idealize and construct their sexual-affective trajectories. The analysis and discussion were elaborated by studying the material gathered from 18 interviews and from two focal groups. The young interviewees were active members of a Catholic Church, an Assembly of God Church, an Adventist Church of Promise, an Episcopal Anglican Church, two Candomblé Temples and two Umbanda Temples. One of the groups was formed by young followers of two Umbanda Temples and the other by young followers of an Adventist Church of Promise. This work is based on the assumption that sexuality is a social construction that integrates the trajectories of life and is inserted in the webs of affective experience of youth. Religiosity is considered as part of the varied repertoire that forms the socialization in youth, especially when it refers to young religion followers. The main goal of this study was to comprehend the interaction between sexuality and religiosity by analyzing the scenes, perceptions and ideas expressed by young religious followers, who were considered to be plural subjects. Issues and relations between religious moralities and advances in the field of sexual and reproductive rights are also debated from the theoretical and normative perspective of human rights. As a result, this thesis proposes a reflection based on plurals subjects besides being sexual subjects, they have rights and are religious who construct their subjectivity within a context and present the capacity to reedit discourses for their choices in life. Another proposal of this work is to expand the debates among subjects from different segments who present conflicting discourses in order to advance towards the development of individual rights, especially in the field of sexuality and reproduction, from the point of view of a secular society.

One in four adults over the age of 60 suffers from diabetes. Around 85%-90% of individuals who have diabetes suffer from Type II diabetes. The prevalence of individuals with diabetes is expected to increase. This paper addresses the influence spousal support, friend support, and religion all have on diabetes mellitus. Gender difference in relation to spousal support benefits has also received limited attention. The limited amount of studies that have examined gender differences in relation to spousal support and diabetes management indicate that diabetic men benefit the most from spousal support due to their wives active involvement in meal preparation and grocery shopping. The results showed that neither spousal support nor religious salience was significantly related to diabetes management. There were observed gender differences in religious salience (males = 4.84, females = 5.36, p < .001) and positive spousal support (males = 3.19, females = 3.02, p <.001), but none of the major hypotheses were supported.

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive profile of the alcohol, cigarette, marijuana and cocaine use practices among adolescents and to examine the relationship between employment, political beliefs, religious beliefs and substance use behaviors among high school seniors participating in the Monitoring the Future Study during the 2002 academic school year. Data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study (2002 12th grade core data) was used for this study. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between substance use behaviors and employment, political beliefs, and religiosity. Analysis showed that males and females who believed religion was very important were less likely to have initiated alcohol use, to be a current user, and to have binge drank. A significant association was found for all alcohol use variables for those individuals who worked moderate amounts at an after school job. Political beliefs were found to be associated for initiation and current alcohol use but not for binge drinking. Political beliefs, religion, and employment were all significantly associated with cigarette use and cocaine use. Conceptualisation of substance use behavior and its prevention and treatment should include consideration of such key cultural and social factors as religiosity, employment and political beliefs of adolescents.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how religiosity affects both public attitudes about the importance of severe punishments (as a characteristic of democracy) and public confidence in the police and the justice system. This study also examines the socio-demographic (e.g., age, gender, education) factors that influence public perceptions about punishment and confidence in criminal justice institutions. In doing so, this study compares two countries that are both religious and democratic: Turkey and the United States. The current study employs data from Wave 5 (2005-2008) of the World Values Survey (WVS). The U.S. data is based on a sample of 1,249 respondents who participated in face-toace interviews in 2006. The Turkish data is based on a sample of 1,346 respondents who participated in face-toace interviews in 2007. Analyses were conducted using the SPSS 21 software program.

The present study examined whether high and low religiosity had any relationship to a person’s five measures of aggressiveness. The participants in this study consisted of 274 female and 202 male undergraduates. The results revealed that: (A) high scores of Religious Conflict and Hostility to Church yielded higher scores of aggression, (B) high scores of Religious Orthodoxy, Religious Solace and Religious Tranquility yielded lower scores of aggression, (C) high scores of Religious Conflict and Hostility to Church yielded higher scores of total aggressiveness, and (D) high scores on Religious Solace and Religious Orthodoxy yielded low scores of total aggression. Frequency of church attendance was a good predictor of hostility scores for both males and females. Religious conflict scores predicted scores on physical aggression for both males and females. The results of this study document the relationship among religiosity, religious beliefs, and aggression and provide insight into why people may or may not act aggressively.