AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION COURSES IN SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENTS

TÜRKİYE’DE SOSYOLOJİ BÖLÜMLERİNDEKİ DİN SOSYOLOJİSİ DERSİ ÜZERİNE EPİSTEMOLOJİK BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Abstract

In this article, it is aimed to elaborate sociology of religion courses in sociology departments in context of academic institutionalization periods of sociology science in Turkey which has an agelong history starting from 1914 in İstanbul Darülfünun, on the basis of students’ viewpoint. In this research, which is conducted on the sociology of scientific knowledge, the individual is accepted as the subject of knowledge, however; it is accepted that the individual structures his/her epistemic world in interaction with social lines he/she lives in. In Turkey, number of Sociology Departments which was not more than 10 in 1980’s, is above 80 considering 2015 year. In the period of sociology science’s historical institutionalization in Turkey, course preferences, topics such as names, contents and methods of the courses in Sociology departments take shape interrelatedly within the terms’ epistemological structure, Other social facts like geographical positioning, students’ and lecturers’ social origins. Besides, in the time of sociology education in universities as an institution of information producer, interactions between lecturer-student relationship as the actors of the process are analyzed. In this context, it is understood that political and social changes and scientific developments take form in relation to these changes have reflections on the curriculum of sociology departments. In the context of making sociology of sociology education, a questionnaire study was applied to 115 students taking sociology of religion course in Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University between the academic years of 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 and results were evaluated sociologically n this article, it is aimed to elaborate sociology of religion courses in sociology departments in context of academic institutionalization periods of sociology science in Turkey which has an agelong history starting from 1914 in İstanbul Darülfünun, on the basis of students’ viewpoint. In Turkey, number of Sociology Departments which was not more than 10 in 1980’s, is above 80 considering 2015 year. In the period of sociology science’s historical institutionalization in Turkey, topics such as course preferences, names, contents and methods of the courses in Sociology departments take shape interrelatedly within the terms’ epistemological structure, other social facts like geographical positioning, students’ and lecturers’ social origins. Besides, in the time of sociology education in universities as an institution of information producer, interactions between lecturer-student relationship as the actors of the process are analyzed. In the context of making sociology of sociology education, a questionnaire study was applied to 115 students taking sociology of religion course in Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University between the academic years of 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 and results were evaluated sociologically. Screening curriculum of universities lecturing sociology in Turkey in terms of content, method and structure makes it possible to recognise epistemological, paradigmatic, thematic and structural changes in social sciences in our country. In this epistemologic differentiation, it is possible to see the effects of current ecoles (compartmentalization) in Turkish sociology. Besides differences in approach, method and etc., there is also the tendency ato differentiate in terms of curriculum between newly-establishes universities and older universities (Başak, 2005). It is understood that political and social developments and scientific discussions related to these developments in Turkey and in the whole world have reflections to the curriculums of sociology. In this context, the matter of lecturing or not lecturing Sociology of Religion course in sociology departments, has taken shape via besides, sociology’s historical process and formation in Turkey, also via effects political, ideological and daily developments. In most of sociology departments in Turkey, Sociology of Religion is lectured as compulsory or required course. In some departments however, it is observed that though there is no course named as sociology of religion, religion is handled under the courses such as sociology of institutions. In addition to that, in some sociology departments there are several required courses related to religion namely Religious Movements, Religion and Society, Sociology of Religion and Belief Groups. Over a hundred years’ accumulation, as a result of sociology deparments’ increase science of sociology in number in Turkey, there are different applications and discussions on course name, techniques, essentiality, lectured semester, course hours and credits about Sociology of Religion course. Within these kind os differences, evaluating religion sociologically as a course, has hints of some epistemological tensions. Regarding different priority in terms of each department has own epistemologic and ideologic posture and different worldview and epistemologic posture, topics such as necessity of lecturing Sociology of Religion as an independent course could be brought forward. Besides this, the lecturer’s social characteristics and the language, references, content, techniques that he/she used while lecturing could give form of the course. In addition to this fraction implied with the historicity of sociology, I think second significant factor is related to geography and city where sociology departments are located. A city/ region whose conservative side is powerful and the social reality of there can be a factor affecting sociology deparment’s curriculum as an epistemic community. In this context another result attained is the fact that there are required courses in some sociology departments related to religion under new names such as Woman and Religion in Muslim Societies, Secularization and Religion, Global Developments and Religion, Terror, Violence and Religion. This study was prepared to a contribution to making sociology of sociology education

Özet

Bu makalede, Türkiye'de bir asırlık bir geçmişe sahip sosyoloji biliminin Türkiye'deki üniversitelerde 1914 yılında İstanbul Darülfünun'da başlayan akademik kurumsallaşma süreçleri bağlamında sosyoloji bölümlerindeki din sosyolojisi dersinin öğrencilerin bakış açısı üzerinden ele alınması amaçlanmaktadır. Bilimsel bilginin sosyolojisi üzerine yapılmış bir araştırma olan bu çalışmada, bilginin öznesi olarak birey kabul edilmekte ancak bireyin içinde yaşadığı toplumsal bağlar ile etkileşim halinde epistemik dünyasını inşa ettiği kabul edilmektedir. Türkiye'de 1980'li yıllarda 10'u geçmeyen sosyoloji bölümü sayısı 2015 yılı itibari ile 80'i geçmiştir. Türkiye'de sosyoloji biliminin tarihsel olarak kurumsallaşma süreci içinde Sosyoloji bölümlerindeki ders tercihleri, derslerin adları, içerikleri ve teknikleri gibi konular, içinde yaşanılan dönemin epistemolojik yapısı yanında sosyoloji bölümünün coğrafi konumlanışı, öğrenci ve öğreticilerin toplumsal kökenleri gibi diğer toplumsal olgularla yakından ilişkili olarak şekillenmektedir. Bu bağlamda dünyada ve Türkiye'de yaşanan siyasi ve toplumsal gelişmeler ve bu gelişmeler ile etkileşim halinde şekillenen bilimsel tartışmaların sosyoloji bölümlerinin müfredatına yansımalarının olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Bunun yanında bilgi üretim kurumu olarak üniversitelerdeki sosyoloji eğitimi sürecinde, sürecin aktörlerinden olan hoca-öğrenci ilişkisi temelindeki etkileşimler analiz edilmektedir. Sosyoloji eğitiminin sosyolojisini yapma bağlamında, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Sosyoloji Bölümü'nde 2014-2015 ve 2015-2016 yıllarında okutulan din sosyolojisi dersi ile ilgili bölümde eğitim-öğretim gören 115 öğrenci ile bir anket çalışması yapılarak sonuçlar sosyolojik olarak değerlendirilmiştir.