Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2018

Minnesota State University, Mankato

Sociology Department Publications

Sociology of Religion

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Influence Of Religious Homogeneity Upon Life Expectancy: A Cross-National Comparative Analysis, Donald J. Ebel Jan 2018

The Influence Of Religious Homogeneity Upon Life Expectancy: A Cross-National Comparative Analysis, Donald J. Ebel

Sociology Department Publications

Research upon health and life expectancy has focused primarily upon individual and community level analyses, with extrapolations to national level data. In this study, the unit of analysis is shifted from individual health statistics to the national level. Life expectancy data for every nation and in the world (total n=191, restricted n=138) is explored, controlling for a variety of socio-economic factors. Two hypotheses are tested which offer the explanation homogeneity in both religion (H1) and ethnicity (H2), determines differences in life expectancy between nations. The first hypothesis, that religious homogeneity supports positive health outcomes is supported. The second hypothesis, that …


Dreaming Of Eden: A Sociological Inquiry Into Sacred Selves And Public Places, Donald J. Ebel Jan 2018

Dreaming Of Eden: A Sociological Inquiry Into Sacred Selves And Public Places, Donald J. Ebel

Sociology Department Publications

A diverse literature from several different disciplines addresses the issues of identity, settings and spirituality. This paper focuses upon drawing these traditions together in order to understand the relationship from a more holistic perspective, and to discern to what degree the three domains interact in a sociological sense. Several hypotheses are tested to discover if setting influences the salience of people’s spiritual identity or the levels of their spiritual transcendence, as well as whether or not age, controlling for other factors, explains or influences these two aspects of spiritual expression. Findings indicate that neither setting nor age significantly influence identity …