Proposal Ramengmawii1

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TOPIC: A Sociological Study of the Impact of Religion on

Different Age Groups in Mizoram

Submitted by

Name: Ramengmawii

Mizoram University

Department of Sociology

Tanhril, Mizoram

10th October 2022

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INTRODUCTION AND PROPOSAL

INTRODUCTION

The term "religion" comes from the Latin religio (respect for what is sacred)

and religare (to bind, in the sense of an obligation). It describes various systems

of belief and practise concerning what people determine to be sacred or spiritual

(Durkheim 1915; Fasching and deChant 2001). Throughout history, and in

societies across the world, leaders have used religious narratives, symbols, and

traditions in an attempt to give more meaning to life and understand the

universe. The term "religion" implies different meanings and practises for

different people. These implications can be quite contrasting for people who

hold different views and beliefs. There are three basic features in every religion

that hold the functioning of the belief system together. The first is the belief in

the existence of supernatural beings. The second is the desire to worship the

powerful supernatural beings. And the third is the expectation of blessings and

support from supernatural beings as a result of worshipping them.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Religion can have a significant impact on the way a person lives and

experiences life. A person who is religious may find a number of areas in life to

be at least somewhat influenced by their beliefs. A person may develop faith in

accordance with childhood beliefs or as a result of personal searching. Some

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individuals may experience persecution or discrimination as a result of their

belief system. Others might have certain beliefs imposed upon them by family,

friends, or intimate partners. Some may find it easier for some to cope with

challenges in life and practise compassion toward others. According to the latest

census, 87% of the people in Mizoram belong to the Christian religion. So the

field we intend to address mostly belongs to the Christian religion.

Mizoram is a highly religious state. People keep religion and its values first and

foremost, above everything else. There are a number of studies about Mizoram

and how people profess their beliefs which are associated with economics,

politics, education, celebrations, and health. But there was only an ample study

of how religions differ among urban and rural dwellers. It is essential to

understand how religions propagate both in the cities and rural areas in

Mizoram. With Christianity comes modernity, and with modernity comes

responsibility and limited time and space. Due to modern lifestyles and work

cultures in urban areas, people adopt new lifestyles and new ways to approach

religious beliefs and ethics, while rural dwellers may stick to the old system of

beliefs and practices. This area needs more clarification and studies in order to

understand the true impact of religion and how it diverged in Mizoram.

As a new generation continues to emerge, there is a chance of religious conflict

between the new generation and the old generation in terms of religious ethics,

rituals, and practices. The younger generations are considered to be more liberal

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and open in terms of religion, while the older generations are likely to be more

closed and bigoted in religious matters. Religion has all of these benefits, but,

according to conflict theory, it can also reinforce and promote social inequality

and social conflict. This view is partly inspired by the work of Karl Marx, who

said that religion was the "opiate of the masses" (Marx, 1964). So it is important

to have wider studies of religion's impact amongst the different age groups in

Mizoram.

Like any other social class, there are differences in perceptions and practises of

religions in Mizoram. The higher classes or the wealthier classes may have a

different approach to religion as compared to the lower and poorer classes.

Chawngliana, Kenneth (1978) stated that a new elite group was created in

Mizoram through the emergence of Christianity. They were educated by the

first Christian missionaries, who had become teachers, pastors, and government

officials. It is now essential to study how religion impacts both the elite class

and the lower class created by Christianity in modern Mizoram.

Since the majority of the population belongs to the Christian religion, it is

important to study the minority groups in relation to the majority. In comparison

to the majority in Mizoram, there has been a lack of research in the field of

minority economics, education, morals, ethics, and health care.

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RATIONALE FOR THE TOPIC

Religion plays a very important role in every aspect of human life, irrespective

of place and culture. Religion remains the most important element in the

building of basic human character. Centres of worship have always shaped

human life in different ways and influenced people towards doing various

things in a positive manner while helping maintain a social culture of respect

towards the community. Religion has dominated as an important factor in our

lives in determining human behaviour. Religion is not a mere necessity but a

very significant part of human life and influences our lives in one way or

another. Religion has both a cultural as well as a moral impact on our lives.

Most people would find it very tough to live without religion or spirituality. On

the other hand, there are people who find it hard to follow because of the

various religious rules and practises that need to be followed.

The coming of Christianity in Mizoram brought about a revolutionary

transformation in religion, lifestyle, education, politics, and health care. Like

Daman Singh writes in The Last Frontier: People and Forests in Mizoram,

"Social and cultural change in Mizoram has proceeded at a tremendous pace. Its

people entered the twentieth century as little-known but feared tribes: animists

ruled by sacrifice and superstition; and hill wanderers with no permanent home,

plough, script, or currency. Nearly a century later, 46% of the population lives

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in urban areas, 83% are Christians, and the state has an impressive literacy rate

of 81% and, even more strikingly, a female literacy rate of 78%.

Religion, like any other, has its pros and cons. In many parts of the world

religion is filling people with fear, fear of hell. Due to this, people can develop

mental problems and insecurities. It can also lead to confusion about death and

the afterlife. So this study is to understand the benefits and disadvantages that

religions have brought.

Religion forms a moral foundation for billions of people throughout the world.

Religion influences morals and values through multiple pathways. It shapes the

way people think about and respond to the world and provides a web of social

connections. Durkheim emphasised the role of social institutions such as family

and religion in binding individuals to society, in keeping "a firmer grip" on

them and drawing them out of their "state of moral isolation". Émile Durkheim

emphasises the social functions of religion, regardless of how it is practised or

what specific religious beliefs a society favors. Religion constitutes a major

institution in Mizoram, which somehow directly influences the social structure

and changes cultural practises to be more modern and western. So it is

important to understand and be able to answer the spiritual, moral, social, and

cultural questions that continuously surface in Mizo society.

When one is engaged in a religion and devotes his time to certain activities, it is

for sure that there are challenges posed by religions. Every religion has its own

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rules and regulations that a follower must abide by. These challenges can

sometimes lead to wrongdoings and practices, while at other times they can lead

to rightful practises. For instance, in Mizoram, it is known that Christianity

prevails and most Christians are governed by the rules and regulations scripted

in the bible. The Bible's suggestions for living and thinking can have an impact

on economic, political, educational, and other institutions. It is essential to

understand and consider the challenges posed by religious beliefs and values.

A person’s belief system can change one’s way of living and behaving. Millions

of teachings offered by hundreds of religions can wholly change a person inside

out. For instance, a drunkard who had a spiritual revival may refrain from

drinking, which definitely impacts the family economy, family environment,

and mental health. So the task of this study includes understanding and

exploring what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live.

DESCRIPTION OF MIZORAM

Mizoram is a state of India. It is located in the northeastern part of the country

and is bounded by Myanmar (Burma) to the east and south, Bangladesh to the

west, and the states of Tripura to the northwest, Assam to the north, and

Manipur to the northeast. The capital is Aizawl, in the north-central part of the

state.

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Figure No.1: Map of Mizoram

Mizoram ("Land of the Mizos") was known as the Lushai Hills District of

Assam before it was renamed the Mizo Hills District in 1954. In 1972, it

became a centrally administered union territory under the name of Mizoram,

and in 1987 it achieved statehood. The land area is 8,139 square miles (21,081

square kilometers). The Mizo Hills form part of the Rakhine (Arakan)

Mountains, a series of compact parallel ridges with a north-south axis formed of

sandstone, limestone, and shale—all Cenozoic rocks between 2.6 and 65 million

years old. The ridges, separated by narrow river valleys, rise to about 7,000 feet

(2,100 metres). In the south, the Kaladan (Chhimtuipui) River and its tributaries

flow southward into Myanmar, while the Dhaleswari (Tlawng) and Sonai

(Tuirail) rivers flow north into Assam. km). Pop. (2011) 1,091,014.

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Christian missionaries began to work in the Mizo Hills area in the late 19th

century. Consequently, the great majority of the population is Christian—

predominantly Protestant—with most conversions having occurred in the 1920s

and ’30s. Buddhists form the largest religious minority in Mizoram, followed by

Hindus and Muslims; there are also tiny groups of Sikhs and Jains.

The residents of Mizoram consist almost entirely of Scheduled Tribes (an

official category embracing indigenous groups that fall outside the predominant

Indian social hierarchy). These groups are loosely called Mizo, a local term

meaning "highlanders." Among the most prominent of the Mizo peoples are the

Kuki, Pawi, and Lakher. Most of the Mizo are Tibeto-Burman people, speaking

Mizo or a closely related Tibeto-Burman language or dialect. One group in the

state, however, the Chakma, speaks an Indo-Aryan language. Mizo and English

are the principal and official languages. Having no script of its own, Mizo uses

the Roman alphabet.

Mizoram is one of the most sparsely populated states in India. The population

density decreases from north to south, owing primarily to a southward increase

in humidity and temperature that renders the area less desirable for habitation.

Aizawl is the state’s only major city; large towns include Lunglei, in the eastern

part of the state, and Champhai, in the south-central region.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

1. To study the development and progress brought by religion and how it

diverges among the different age groups in Mizoram.

2. To analyse the change in the structure of Mizo society by comparing the

older generation to the younger generation.

3. To evaluate the functioning of religion and its influence among the

different age groups in Mizoram.

4. To study how religion becomes a subset of culture and how religion

contributes to cultural change in Mizoram.

METHODOLOGY

Mixed Methodology

This study cannot be completed with only one method; it requires a mix of

methods. Mixed methods research is the combination and integration of

qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study. Mixed methods research

has developed rapidly in the last few years, emerging as a research methodology

with a recognised name and distinct identity (Denscombe, 2008), especially in

some fields such as education, health sciences, psychology, and sociology. The

overall purpose and central premise of mixed methods studies is that the use of

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quantitative and qualitative approaches in combination provides a better

understanding of research problems and complex phenomena than either

approach alone (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007).

Primary and Secondary data

There have been a number of studies about religion and its different fields so

primary data are available for this context. This study will also rely upon the

secondary data which will be done through different methods including

Interview and Survey.

Primary data is a type of data that is collected by researchers directly from

primary sources through interviews, surveys, experiments, etc. Primary data is

typically collected from the source—where the data originated—and is regarded

as the best type of data in research. The sources of primary data are usually

chosen and tailored specifically to meet the demands or requirements of

particular research. Also, before choosing a data collection source, things like

the aim of the research and target population need to be identified.

Secondary data is the data that has already been collected through primary

sources and made readily available for researchers to use for their own research.

It is a type of data that has already been collected in the past. A researcher may

have collected the data for a particular project and then made it available to be

used by another researcher. The data may also have been collected for general

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use with no specific research purpose, as in the case of the national census. Data

classified as secondary for particular research may be said to be primary for

other research. This is the case when data is reused, making it primary data for

the initial research and secondary data for any subsequent research it is used for.

Sources of secondary data include books, personal sources, journals,

newspapers, websites, government records, etc. Secondary data is known to be

readily available compared to that of primary data. It requires very little

research and needs manpower to use these sources.

Interview

An interview is a qualitative research method that relies on asking questions in

order to collect data. Interviews involve two or more people, one of whom is the

interviewer, asking the questions. There are several types of interviews, often

differentiated by their level of structure. Structured interviews have

predetermined questions asked in a predetermined order. Unstructured

interviews are more free-flowing, and semi-structured interviews fall in

between. Interviews are commonly used in market research, social science, and

ethnographic research.

Survey

Survey data is defined as the resultant data that is collected from a sample of

respondents that took a survey. This data is comprehensive information

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gathered from a target audience about a specific topic to conduct research.

There are many methods used for survey data collection and statistical analysis.

Various media are used to collect feedback and opinions from the desired

sample of individuals. While conducting survey research, researchers prefer

multiple sources to gather data, such as online surveys, telephonic surveys, face-

to-face surveys, etc. The medium of collecting survey data decides the sample

of people that are to be reached out to, to reach the requisite number of survey

responses. The factors of collecting survey data, such as how the interviewer

will contact the respondent (online or offline), how the information is

communicated to the respondents, etc., decide the effectiveness of the gathered

data.

Survey Data Collection Methods with Examples

The methods used to collect survey data have evolved with the change in

technology. From face-to-face surveys and telephonic surveys to online and

email surveys, the world of survey data collection has changed with time. Each

survey data collection method has its pros and cons, and every researcher has a

preference for gathering accurate information from the target sample.

The survey response rates for each of these data collection methods will differ

as their reach and impact are always different. Different ways are chosen

according to specific target population characteristics and the intent to examine

human nature under various situations.

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SUMMARY

The Mizos are adherent followers of the Christian religion. It is true that

religion shapes the life of a person. It changes the way a person thinks, behaves,

and responds to every situation. The most important things in life are how we

succeed as human beings and why we need religion. Change is a continuous

process in society, and just like that, changes occur in religion as a new

generation emerges. There are religious constraints which bind the new

generation of followers but not the older age group. It is crucial to study the

benefits and disadvantages of religion in modern Mizo society, where new ideas

and perspectives hold sway. This study will contribute to new knowledge of

how religions influence the different age groups in Mizoram. It aimed to fill the

gap left by the previous research findings in the field of religion in relation to

the economy, education, politics, culture, and health.

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REFERENCES:

1. Lodrick, Deryck O.. "Mizoram". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Nov. 2019,

https://www.britannica.com/place/Mizoram. Accessed 6 October 2022.

2. Emerson, M. O., Monahan, S. C., & Mirola, W. A. (2011). Religion matters:

What sociology teaches us about religion in our world. Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Prentice Hall

3. Rajeshkar. M, ―The Land of Many Changes‖, Scroll.in, 05 May. 2015,

https://scroll.in/roving/13/the-land-of-many-changes

4. Durkheim, Emile, 1915, ―The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life‖, The

Project Gutenberg EBook #41360, p. 431, Release Date: November 13, 2012.

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produced and distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

4.0 license

6. Kenneth, Chawngliana .. ―Christianity and the mizo society _the study of the

impact of christianity on the mizo social structure_‖, Shodhganga, 1978,

http://hdl.handle.net/10603/150968

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7. Angom, R. . ―Christianization and Its Impact on Mizo Culture‖. Journal of

Humanities and Social Sciences Studies, vol. 2, no. 1, Jan. 2020, pp. 55-61,

https://al-kindipublisher.com/index.php/jhsss/article/view/232.

8. Rangarajan, M. (1999). Book Reviews : DAMAN SINGH, The Last Frontier:

People and Forests in Mizoram, New Delhi. Tata Energy Research Institute,

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https://doi.org/10.1177/001946469903600109

9. Thompson, Carl, Research Methods in Sociology – An Introduction,

ReviseSociology, 3rd Jan. 2016,

https://revisesociology.com/2016/01/03/research-methods-sociology/

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