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- Title
RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS IN PUBLIC SPACES.
- Authors
Løvland, Anne; Repstad, Pål
- Abstract
Religious symbols in public spaces are discussed vividly in Norway, as indeed elsewhere. In this article, social semiotist Anne Løvland and sociologist Pål Repstad tries to find theoretical and methodological support for a hypotheses that people will be more positive to symbols of minority religions in public places when the interview takes place while actually looking at the symbol or sign than when they are asked in the abstract, for instance in a survey. The hypothesis is discussed in the light of Barthes' theory of connotations, recent material and sensual perspectives in the social sciences, and Allport's contact hypothesis, which still seems to hold water. More as an empirical illustration than as a full-fledged study, the authors conducted 48 interviews with people passing by in the street. This pilot study strengthened the hypothesis, but the authors recommend further and more ambitious studies. Looking at the symbol while being interviewed also resulted in more positive answers than in a recent quantitative survey.
- Subjects
NORWAY; RELIGIOUS symbols; PUBLIC spaces; RELIGIOUS life of minorities; SOCIAL surveys; LOVLAND, Anne
- Publication
Nordic Journal of Religion & Society, 2015, Vol 28, Issue 2, p155
- ISSN
0809-7291
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.18261/issn1890-7008-2015-02-04