Religiosity, social solidarity, and cultural participation

The relation between religiosity and social solidarity is a classic topic in sociology. In contemporary societies, this relation has been influenced by secularisation, religious revitalisation, fundamentalism, and nationalism, among other cultural processes. This chapter examines the relationship between religiosity, social solidarity, and cultural participation in nine European societies using multiple correspondence analysis. The primary objective is to determine whether there is a connection between the respondent’s religiosity, their social openness and trust, their perception of the level of solidarity in their societies, and their cultural practices. The analysis shows that such connections exist, even though many social factors mediate them. The authors first mapped dimensions of solidarity, then linked these to religious affiliations, and finally incorporated cultural participation patterns into the examination. Concretely, certain religious affiliations exhibit stronger agreement with dimensions of solidarity than others. The perception of solidarity in society tends to be lower among Muslims and Orthodox Christians. However, personal openness towards other cultures and the willingness to connect with them is higher among these groups.