Unconscious Religiosity and Social Capital

ムジカク ノ シュウキョウセイ ト ソーシャル キャピタル

イナバ, ケイシン

Inaba, Keishin

シュウキョウ ト シャカイ コウケン ケンキュウカイ

無自覚の宗教性

思いやり格差

和合

倫理

social capital

unconscious religiosity

disparity in compassion

harmony

ethics

This paper provides an overview of the correlation between religion and social capital in Japan. Japan has experienced rapid urbanization and industrialization since the middle of the nineteenth century and particularly since World WarⅡ. During this process, society has changed from the one which is based on the local community (Gemeinschaft) to the one based on the impersonal association (Gesellschaft). Religion no longer serves as the symbolic basis for societal stability, solidarity and integration. Nationally only 30 per cent of the Japanese recognize themselves as religious. Under such circumstances, some Japanese have some kind of shared religiosity of which they are unconscious. This paper will discuss the setting of this unconscious religiosity and social capital in civil society in Japan by considering some important concepts related to their altruism such as harmony ethics in the hope that this presentation will throw some light on recent trends and future research.