Religion and Social Order among the Youth

The study and functional analysis of religion in the social system and religion’s role in maintaining the equilibrium and social order constitute an important area of investigation within the field of sociology of religion. Within such investigation a subject which has always been hotly debated is the extent to which religion acts to reduce the potential anomie and prevent anomic conditions in the society. In addition, the role religion plays in reducing delinquency and criminality is yet another subject which has been usedin explaining the functional analysis of religion. This research focuses on the relationship between religiosity and two variables of anomie and delinquency. The statistical population of this study consists of students residing in Semnan University’s dormitory. This is a quantitaive and survey-method research which uses the questionnaire as data collection technique. Based on the findings both variables of anomie and delinquency have significant and reverse relationship with religiosity. Amongst aspects of religiosity, theconsequential and ritualistic aspects have the most intense negative relationship with anomie. In contrast, the belief-related and empirical aspects are indicative of the least intense relationship. Regarding the relationship of delinquency with aspects of religiosity it is also seen that the consequential aspect exhibits a more intense relationship as compared with other aspects of religiosity. In sum, one can say that the consequential aspect, which results from the individuals’ religious beliefs in practical matters of the everyday life, has the most influence both on the reducing the probability of appearance of delinquency and the anomie’s potentiality. On the contrary, the belief-related aspect of religiosity rests at the lowest levels in terms of its influence.