공공성 강화를 위한 종교의 사회적 역할: 종교공공사회학적 접근

Abstract

This study aims at examining the social role and tasks for enhancing the publicness from the perspective of public sociology of religion. Public sociology is a discipline focusing on dialogue between sociologist and diverse publics concerning matters of public interests. This article outlines the claims of M. Burawoy who considers the standpoint of sociology as civil society and the defense of the social, and so emphasizes the conversation about sociological engagement and D. Hartmann who asserts that multidementional vision in relation to sociology and various publics provides a foundation for better public engagement and helps to renew and revitalize the sociology. However, some sociologists criticized the public sociology for Burawoy's claims of the primacy of civil society and his unbalanced indictment of the state as well as Hartmann's problems raised by multiplicity of publics, each with different perspectives and agendas. What needs attention is that religion can resolve problems created by the primacy of civil society and multiplicity of publics in the public sociology. Public sociology of religion is characterized by a commitment to incorporating knowledge into normative deliberations on matters of public importance involving religion with a specific focus on the place and practice of religion in civil society. This article confirms the significance of public sociology of religion as the subfield of sociology of religion with respect to both public sociology publicizing the social issue and religion highlighting the communication and co-existence between individuals as well as individual and society through an analytical approach to ‘Hoejung Therapeutic Community’, a religion-based civil organization.