Getting Started

This was originally posted to the SOAN 3000: Research Methods Blackboard site on January 24, 2016

Usually every year I go through my litany of ideas and research projects.  But there really is just one this year.  I am interested in studying how families transmit 'doing religion' to their children, when they have no structural supports.  What the heck does that mean, Dr. Kern?

What that means... if people are Christian (as 77% of our society claims to be), and they have children, there's a ready made establishment for them to socialize their children into their faith.  There are physical buildings and churches, staffed by people in the role of spiritual teacher.  There's a common scripture and more or less common interpretation of that scripture.  There's Sunday school, and Vacation Bible School in the summer, and basically an entire industry devoted to producing resources to facilitate this.  In addition, it is the dominant religion of the culture, so talking about one's efforts to raise children in the faith is normal as well. For other religions, this can still be the case (for example, Judaism).  However, a number of alternative faiths do not have either the cultural support or the institutional structure in place to support parents. Many of these religions fall under the umbrella of "neo-Paganism," a set of fiercely decentralized religions that have no central structure, no governing body, and very little in the way of what we would call structural resources.  Misunderstandings about the religions also remove cultural support. So, how do parents who want to raise their children in the faith, accomplish this?

What I hope to do at first, is to find out exactly how much neo-pagans practice their faith in the their day to day life.  That is the point behind using the FAITH scale that I showed you.  My sabbatical will be administering the FAITH scale and some other survey questions, and then asking those who want to talk more in-depth about it to sit for a longer, and more in-depth interview.  (This is my sabbatical project!)

So I am a bit ahead of you all with your projects, but I sort of feel I have miles to go.  I have a stack of journal articles (I mentioned) and a paralyzing fear that I'll miss some HUGE chunk of theory or something, but won't know until it is too late ;)

I need to do my IRB, write my survey, and do all the things you guys are doing too.

I'll be sharing my drafts with you all as well.  It's only fair :)

Also you can ask questions or make suggestions in the comments :)