Dubrovin V.L. The Role of Religion in Strengthening Social Integration: Historical Aspect. Socio-Political Sciences. 2026. Vol. 16. No. 1. P. 207–214.

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to examine the integrative function of religion in a historical context. Theoretical and methodological foundations of the study: The research is based on the functional analysis of religion, Robert Bellah’s concept of religious evolution, the functional analysis of ritual, and the concept of secularization. Results of the study. The study analyzes the main religious mechanisms of social integration within the context of the historical dynamics of religion, tracing the changes in these mechanisms throughout the evolution of human communities and forms of religion. It is noted that in secular societies, the integrative functions of religion are not entirely lost but have become more localized, concentrated within individual groups and communities. Religion continues to serve as an important element of cultural heritage and collective identities, even when the dominance of the Church is a thing of the past. Research perspectives. The prospects of the research are related to the social need and actualization of the scientific analysis of the role of religion in social integration, as a factor that increasingly influences the condition of social consciousness in modern Russia.