- Title
- Secularization processes in Malawi and Great Britain: a comparative inquiry
- Creator
- Gama, Billy Lickson
- Subject
- Secularization (Theology)
- Date
- 2013-12
- Type
- Doctoral theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25644
- Identifier
- vital:64346
- Description
- The major purpose of the study was to critically examine the applicability of manifestations and factors of secularization in Britain to Malawi. In examining the manifestations and factors the study had to examine the process of secularization in Britain and its causal factors using theoretical frameworks and examine manifestations and causal factors of secularization in Malawi using field research work as a major source supported by the theoretical frame works of secularization. The study was guided by the key research question, “Are the manifestations and factors of secularization in Britain applicable to Malawi?” The question was supported by other follow up questions, namely, “What were the factors that contributed to the rise of secularization in Britain?” “What is the connection between Britain and Malawi?” “To what extent does secularization in Britain affect that in Malawi?” “Does Malawi have unique factors that are specific or are the same factors at work that have contributed to the process of secularization in Britain?” The conceptual framework for this research was derived from the literature on “secularization” from different scholars, in particular, the work of Dobbelaere (2002) whose analysis of secularization provided the theoretical frame work for this study. Learning from Dobbelaere (2002) the study used three types of secularizations, namely, societal, organizational and individual. Dobbelaere (2002:24ff) distinguishes the three types of secularization in a very simple way: individual secularization, the lack of individual practice, societal secularization, the loss of influence on society, and organizational secularization as the effect on religious organizations by changes in society. The methodological approach to the study was the mixed methods approach that involved three types of research methodologies: the qualitative, quantitative and case studies approaches. Data was collected through personal and focus group interviews. It was supported by secondary sources which include books, minutes of meetings in various institutions and the internet. The study notes that all the three types of secularization are being experienced in Malawi; societal secularization has been manifested by the removal of religious connected syllabus in schools, suspension of homosexuality laws and involvement of religious leaders in different immoral issues just like non-believers. Organizational secularization has been manifested by fights among religious institutions e.g. boarder disputes that have been given as case studies in chapter five and finally the individual secularization is being manifested in Malawi as membership records indicate that there is a big decline in church attendance and participation in religious activities. New knowledge that this study is proposing is that secularization is manifested in Malawi through the partial influence from Britain because of strong links between the two countries and the effects of modernization. The study further proposes that donor influences, Islam, lack of well educated religious leaders and African Traditional Religion are the unique factors of secularization in Malawi, while modernization, urbanization, industrialization are factors that are partially applicable to Malawi, and religious pluralism is fully applicable to both Britain and Malawi as a factor of secularization. Finally the study proposes that a proper training of religious leaders is vital for the sustainability of the church as it experiences the manifestations of secularization.
- Description
- Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2013
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (xiv, 346 pages)
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Language
- English
- Rights
- rights holder
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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Collections
UFH Centre for Theology and Religion
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | BILLY LICKSON GAMA.pdf | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |