The Development of the New Age Movement in Taiwan: A Sociological Analysis
| Autor: | Chia-luen Chen, 陳家倫 |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2002 |
| Druh dokumentu: | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Popis: | 90 The Development of the New Age Movement in Taiwan A Sociological Analysis The New Age Movement emerged in Western society in the late 1960s, and it is a movement that brings together religion, spirituality, psychology, health practices, environmental concerns, etc. The ideas and contents of the New Age Movement entered Taiwan in the 1980s, when a few Taiwanese intellectuals, who encountered the New Age Movement in the United States, returned to Taiwan. They introduced the New Age Movement by translating various New Age texts into Chinese. It has become a significant new spiritual movement in Taiwan. This research depicts the historical roots, the different branches, and the unique characteristics of this movement. I also review the observations and analyses of sociologists who have studied the religious changes in the United States since the 1960s. New Age spirituality signifies an enhancement of individualism in the realm of religion. This accompanies the growth of individualism in certain social and cultural situations where the demise of influence from institutional religions is felt. Looking at the development of the New Age Movement in Taiwan, I first outline the historical process and the main contexts of the New Age Movement in Taiwan. Although many different kinds of activity groups flourish in Taiwan’s New Age Movement, the study group is the basic and most popular format. The methods that I use in this research include interviewing, participation observation, exploring related publications as well as information about the movement on the Internet. I analyze the social traits of the participants, the main channels of diffusion, the relation between New Age groups and religious groups, and the uniqueness of New Age spirituality and its holistic health ideas in Taiwan’s religious and medical culture. Finally, I argue that the development of the New Age Movement in Taiwan shows, on the one hand, the social dynamic of Taiwan society, while on the other hand, it also reflects the effects of globalization. I discuss the affecting factors from two perspectives. Globalization is the exterior factor that brings new elements to Taiwan’s religious culture and stimulates the disputes in Taiwan’s religious field. Moreover, the growth of New Age spirituality, which is highly individualistic, eclectic, and anti-institutional (in respect to religion), demonstrates the development of Taiwan’s social culture has reached the stage of post modernity and/or second modernity. On the other hand, the interior factors affecting the development of New Age Movement in Taiwan relate to the process of democratization there. I use the “rational choice theory” as my analytical framework to show the significance of democratization on the religious development in Taiwan. My analysis proves that the democratization of the whole society produced among others one specific social group (highly educated professionals between the ages of 30 to 50) eager to absorb new ideas and open to different worldviews. It is this group that involved in the New Age spirituality and practice. |
| Databáze: | Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations |
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