Religious self in transformation: Social changes and religiosity of citizens in Vojvodina

Abstract

On the individual and social level, the speaking about the identity represents the estimation relating the past, present and future, but also the estimation of ourselves in relations to our entourage. The new truths determined by time and space, intermingle in that speaking about us and self, every time from the new perspective. However, we have chosen the empirical research and one transversal section of current moment in Serbia which integrates the feelings and the future perspective as well. The results of the research, Department for Sociology, Philosophical Faculty in Novi Sad, show that religiosity is increased and is approximately 60%, but half of them do not believe and practice what religion expect from them. However, the self-image of young people is not different in the regions. The self concept is the same as the potential of psychical health of the young. The young in Vojvodina differ from others in their relation to different confessions. Degree of rejection and social distance are smaller, while the readiness for entering the all forms of social contacts with members of different religious communities is higher. The higher toleration to atheists is also present. The correlations show that the young people who are more stable psychically are inclined to be more tolerate. As the level of tolerance decreases in the population, and the need for religiosity is more and more expressed publicly, the perspective of development demands the implementation of mental hygienic principles, first of all in the population of young people.

Keywords

• identity
• religion
• secularization