Date of Award
Fall 12-2013
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Religious Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Kathryn McClymond
Second Advisor
Dr. David Bell
Third Advisor
Dr. Molly Bassett
Abstract
ABSTRACT
In loosely structured narrative interviews, individuals discussed their personal religious life stories in the context of their lives, from childhood to the present. They ended up creating coherent narratives that encompassed much more than their religious traditions. The coherency of their stories was through the use of dispositions. Dispositions are the common themes, people, or other narrative schema which the narrator used consistently throughout the story, and are identified by narrative elements that repeat and anchor the narrative. Dispositions found in interviews for the Religious Life Stories Project by the GSU Religious Studies Department include familial, outlier, socioeconomic, contributive, influential, obedient, somatic, and traveler. Analysis of the dipositions in the context of these narratives illuminates the variety of ways traditional religion manifests in individuals’ lives. Furthermore, dispositions provide a theoretical basis for studying individual religion comparatively across doctrinal religious traditions.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/4384110
Recommended Citation
Degnats, Suzanne Giovanna, "Dispositional Religiosity:Religion in the Context of Life Narratives." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2013.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/4384110