|
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
|
An Intricate Triangle— Religiosity, Volunteering, and Social Capital: The European Perspective, the Case of Finland
Anne Birgitta Yeung
University of Helsinki
Although previous literature has dealt with religiosity, voluntarism, and social capital from several angles, only a few empirical studies have focused on this tri-dimensional linkage. This research aims to add to the literature by including various forms of religiosity and social capital. Using survey data (N = 1,038), this article investigates four volunteer groups (church volunteers, volunteers in both church and other contexts, non-church volunteers, nonvolunteers) and answers three questions: How do their sociodemographic and religious backgrounds differ, how does religiosity affect the probability of belonging to these groups, and how do these groups differ in regard to their social capital? The article indicates that religiosity affects choosing between the four volunteer groups and that these groups maintain different kinds of social capital.
Key Words: religiosity • churches • volunteering • social capital
References
- Alapuro, R., & Stenius, H. (1987). Kansanliikkeet loivat kansakunnan [Popular movements created a nation]. In R. Alapuro (Ed.), Kansa liikkessä [Apeople in motion] (pp. 7-52).Helsinki, Finland: Kirjayhtymä.
- Bacon, D. (2001). Revitalising civil society in Northern Ireland: Social capital formation in three faith-based organizations. Derry, Ireland: University of Ulster, Centre for Voluntary Action Studies.
- Batson, C. D., & Ventis, W. L. (1982). The religious experience. A social-psychological perspective. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
- Becker, P. E., & Dhingra, P. H. (2001). Religious involvement and volunteering: Implication for civil society. Sociology of Religion, 62, 315-335.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Bekkers, R. (2000). Religious involvement and participation in voluntary work: Aquestion of psychological disposition or social organization? Soziologische Gids, 47, 268-292.
- Benson, P. L., Dehority, J., Garman, L., Hanson, E., Hochschwender, M., Lebold, C., et al. (1980). Intrapersonal correlates of nonspontaneous helping behavior. Journal of Social Psychology, 110, 87-95.
- Bernt, F. M. (1989). Being religious and being altruistic. Astudy of college service volunteers. Personality and Individual Differences, 10, 663-669.[CrossRef]
- Bourdieu, P. (1986).The forms of capital.In J. G.Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of theoryand research for the sociology of education (pp. 241-258). New York: Greenwood.
- Bruce, S. (1996). Religion in themodern world. From cathedralsto cults. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
- Cameron, H. (2002, July). The community involvement of church attenders: Findings from the English 2001 church life profile. Paper presented at the International Society for Third Sector Research Fifth International Conference, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Chambré, S. M. (1987). Good deed in old age: Volunteering by the new leisure class. Lexington, KY: Lexington Books.
- Cnaan, R. A., & Goldberg-Glen, R. S. (1991). Motivation to volunteer in human services. Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences, 27, 267-283.
- Cnaan, R. A., Kasternakis, A., & Wineburg, R. J. (1993). Religious people, religious congregations, and volunteerism in human services: Is there a link? Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 22, 33-51.[Abstract]
- Coleman, J. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94(Suppl.), 1095-1120.
- Cote, S., & Healy, T. (2001). The well-being of nations. The role of human and social capital. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
- Curtis, J. E., Baer, D. E., & Grabb, E. G. (2001). Nations of joiners: Explaining voluntary association membership in democratic societies. American Sociological Review, 66, 783-805.[CrossRef]
- Davie, G. (2001). Global civil religion: A European perspective. Sociology of Religion, 62, 455-473.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Davie, G.(2002). Europe—the exceptional case: Parameters of faith in the modern world. London: Orbis.
- Davis Smith, J. (1997). The 1997 national survey of volunteering. London: National Centre for Volunteering.
- Friedrichs, R. W. (1960) Alter versus ego: An exploratory assessment of altruism. American Sociological Review, 25, 496-508.[CrossRef]
- Gaskin, K., & Davis Smith, J. (1995). A new civic Europe? A study of the extent and role of volunteering. London: Volunteer Centre.
- Gerard, D. (1985).Values and voluntary work. In M. Abrams, D. Gerard, & N. Timms (Eds.), Values and social change in Britain (pp. 201-226). London: Macmillan.
- Gill, R. (1999). Churchgoing and Christian ethics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Glock, C. Y., & Stark, R. (1969). Religion and society in tension. Chicago: Rand McNally.
- Granovetter, M. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78, 1360-1380.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
- Greeley, A. (1997). The other civic America: Religion and social capital. American Prospect, 32, 68-73.
- Halvardson, S. (2002, August). Where did they go? Paper presented at the Nordic Conference for Sociology of Religion Conference, Sigtuna, Sweden.
- Handy, C. (1988). Understanding voluntary organizations. London: Penguin.
- Harris, M. (1996). The church is the people: Lay volunteers in religious congregations [Working paper 16]. London: London School of Economics, Centre for Voluntary Organisations.
- Heikkilä, M. (1979). Kirkollisen yhdistysaktiivisuuden leviäminen Suomessa [The spreading of activism in religious associations in Finland]. Helsinki, Finland: Suomen Kirkkohistoriallinen Seura.
- Helander, V., & Laaksonen, H. (1999). Suomalainen kolmas sektori [The Finnish third sector]. Helsinki, Finland: Finnish Federation for Social Welfare & Health.
- Hervieu-Léger, D. (1998). The transmission and formation of socioreligious identities in modernity: Ananalytical essay on the trajectories of identification. International Sociology, 13, 213-228.[Abstract]
- Hodgkinson, V. (1990). The future of individual giving and volunteering: The inseparable link between religious community and individual generosity. In R. Wuthnow & V. A. Hodgkinson (Eds.), Faith and philanthropy in America: Exploring the role of religion in America’s voluntary sector (pp. 284-312). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Hodgkinson, V., Weitzman, M., & Kirsch, A. (1990). From commitment to action: How religious involvement affects giving and volunteering. In R. Wuthnow & V. A. Hodgkinson (Eds.), Faith and philanthropy in America: Exploring the role of religion in America’s voluntary sector (pp. 93-114). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Hoge, D. R. (1972). Avalidated intrinsic religious motivation scale. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 11, 369-376.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
- Hoge, D. R., & Yang, F. (1994). Determinants of religious giving in American denominations: Data from two nationwide surveys. Review of Religious Research, 36, 123-148.
- Hoge, D. R., Zech, C., McNamara, P., & Donahue, M. J. (1998).The value of volunteers as resources for congregations. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 37, 470-480.[CrossRef]
- Hunter, K. I., & Linn, M. W. (1980-1981). Psychosocial differences between elderly volunteers and non-volunteers. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 12, 205-213.
- Jackson, E., Bachmeier, M., Wood, J., & Craft, E. (1995).Volunteering and charitable giving: Do religious and associational ties promote helping behavior? Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 24, 59-78.
- Kajanoja, J., & Simpura, J. (2002). Sosiaalisen pääoman lupaukset [The promises of social capital]. In J. Kajanoja, J. Kiander, & I. Voipio (Eds.), Tutkimus ja talouspolitiikka [Research and economics] (pp. 161-181). Helsinki, Finland: Government Institute for Economic Research.
- Lam, P. (2002). As the flocks gather: How religion affects voluntary association participation. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 41, 405-422.[CrossRef]
- Lukka, P., & Locke, M. (2000a, September). Faith-based volunteering: Policy and research questions. Paper presented at the National Council for Voluntary Organizations Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference, Birmingham, UK.
- Lukka, P., & Locke, M. (2000b). Faith, voluntary action and social policy: Areview of research. Voluntary Action, 3, 24-41.
- Messer, J. (1998). Agency, communion, and the formation of social capital. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 27, 5-12.[Free Full Text]
- Milofsky, C. (1997). Organization from community: Acase study of congregational renewal. Non-profit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 26(Suppl.).
- Niemelä, K. (2002a, August). Aspects of Finnish religiosity at the turn of the millennium. Paper presented at the Nordic Conference for Sociology of Religion Conference, Sigtuna, Sweden.
- Niemelä, K. (2002b). Suomalaisten uskonnollisuus uuden vuosituhannen alussa [The religiosity of Finns at the beginning of a new millennium]. In E. Helander (Ed.), Muutoksen tulkkina [As an interpreter of change] (pp. 140-157). Helsinki, Finland: Kirjapaja.
- Park, J. Z., & Smith, C. (2000). "To whom much has been given...": Religious capital and community voluntarism among churchgoing Protestants. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 39, 272-286.[CrossRef]
- Pohjola, A. (1999). Kansalaisten toiminta-areenat [Arenas for civic action]. In L. Hokkanen, P. Kinnunen, & M. Siisäinen (Eds.), Haastava kolmas sektori [The challenging third sector] (pp. 62-77). Helsinki, Finland: Finnish Federation for Social Welfare & Health.
- Putnam, R. (1993). Making democracy work. Civic traditions in modern Italy. New York: Princeton University Press.
- Putnam, R. (2000). Bowlingalone. The collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon & Schuster.
- Putnam, R. (Ed.). (2002). Conclusion. In Democracies in flux. The evolution of social capital in contemporary society (pp. 393-416). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
- Salonen, K., Kääriäinen, K., & Niemelä, K. (2001). The Church at the turn of the millennium. Tampere, Finland: Research Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
- Schneider, J. A. (1999). Trusting that of God in everyone: Three examples of Quaker-based social service in disadvantaged communities. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 28, 269-295.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Serow, R. C. (1991). Students and voluntarism. Looking into the motives of community service participants. American Educational Research Journal, 28, 543-556.[CrossRef]
- Stark, R., & Bainbridge, W. S. (1985). The future of religion. Secularization, revival and cult formation. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Stark, R., & Glock, C. Y. (1974). American piety. The nature of religious commitments. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Tillich, P. (1963). Christianity and the encounter with the world religions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Tillich, P. (1965). Ultimate concern. Tillich in dialogue. London: SCM Press.
- Uslaner, E. (1997). Faith, hope and charity: Social capital, trust and collective action. College Park: Department of Government & Politics, University of Maryland.
- Waardenburg, J. (1986). Usko and uskonnot (O. Alho & S. Syrjänen, Trans.). Helsinki, Finland: Gaudeamus.
- Wallace, A. (1966). Religion: An anthropological view. New York: Random House.
- White, R. H. (1968). Toward a theory of religious influence. Pacific Sociological Review, 11, 23-28.
- Wilson, J., & Janoski, T. (1995). The contribution of religion to volunteer work. Sociology of Religion, 56, 137-152.
- Wolfe, A. (1998). What is altruism? In W. W. Powell & E. S. Clemens (Eds.), Private action and the public good (pp. 36-46). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
- Woolcock, M. (2000). Sosiaalinen pääoma: menneisyys, nykyisyys ja tulevaisuus [Social capital: the past, the present and the future]. In J. Kajanoja & J. Simpura (Eds.), Sosiaalinen pääoma: Globaaleja ja paikallisia näkökulmia [Social capital: Global and local perspectives] (pp. 25-56). Helsinki, Finland: Stakes.
- Wuthnow, R. (1991). Acts of compassion. Caring for others and helping ourselves. New York: Princeton University Press.
- Wuthnow, R. (1994). Sharing the journey: Support groups and America’s new quest for community. New York: Free Press.
- Wuthnow, R. (1997). The crisis in the churches. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
- Wuthnow, R. (1999). Mobilizing civic engagement: The changing impact of religious involvements. In T. Skocpol & M. Fiorina (Eds.), Civic engagement in American democracy (pp. 331-363). Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.
- Wuthnow, R. (2002).Religious involvement and status-bridging social capital. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 41, 669-684.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
- Yeung, A. B. (2001). Manifold motives for volunteerism. A study on the motives of the people inspired to volunteer by a Salvation Army advertisement. Journal fur Psychologie, 9, 37-47.
- Yeung, A.B. (2002). Vapaaehtoistoiminta osana kansalaisyhteiskuntaa—ihanteitavai todellisuutta? [Voluntary work as part of a civil society—ideals or reality?]. Helsinki, Finland: YTY.
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 3,
401-422 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0899764004265426
 CiteULike  Complore  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Digg  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
K. Stromsnes
The Importance of Church Attendance and Membership of Religious Voluntary Organizations for the Formation of Social Capital
Social Compass,
December 1, 2008;
55(4):
478 - 496.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Isham, J. Kolodinsky, and G. Kimberly
The Effects of Volunteering for Nonprofit Organizations on Social Capital Formation: Evidence from a Statewide Survey
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly,
September 1, 2006;
35(3):
367 - 383.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
