Faculty Scholarly Dissemination Grants

The Future of an Illusion: The Irony of Religious Resistance to both Rational Corporate Domination and Irrational Invasion Paranoia

Department

Sociology Department

College

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Date Range

2014-2015

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

The United States was formed consistently by antagonistic forces. Among these antagonisms is the force of religious faith and secular management. Manifest today as corporate management, this ideology forces its way throughout society, now appearing in higher education as assessment, best practices, accountability, and student-centered learning. People like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos envision corporate management remaking education, and in the process, eliminating anything that does not directly contribute to the pursuit of profit. Tied to political interests that profess absolute faith in the superiority of the private corporate sector, science and best practices have become the creed of the business faithful, whether as for-profit enterprise or the many layers of research and policy down through the ranks of academia, K-12, and local government. In short, profit justifies itself. What can resist the scientific, corporate, and government trinity? This paper considers the potential of religion as social resistance to plutocracy. At the same time, progressive religion has been a vocal opponent of authoritarian irrationality, attacks on the poor, and various manifestations invasion delusion. The paper uses historical and contemporary examples of religious innovation specifically organized around faith as a moral commitment to humane, green, and egalitarian practices.

Conference Name

Annual Meeting of the Midwest Sociological Society

Conference Location

Kansas City, MO

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