A study on religious life in Auhut

Religious life is one of the most fundamental elements that shape the cultural fabric of societies. Religion plays a decisive role in the construction of the social structure by influencing the world of thought, behaviour patterns and social relations of individuals. When evaluated in a sociological context, religious life refers to a wide area that includes not only individual beliefs but also collective rituals, religious practices, symbols and values. In this respect, religion not only contributes to the development of a sense of social belonging, but also serves to preserve cultural continuity. The manifestations of religious life at the social level may differ with time and space; different dynamics may directly affect this structure. In this context, local studies aimed at understanding the religious life in a particular region provide important contributions both in terms of analysing the social structure of the region and in terms of comparatively evaluating the general religiosity trends in Turkey. Especially in rural societies, observing the impact of religion in daily life provides remarkable data in terms of understanding the intertwining of forms of religiosity. This study was carried out in order to examine the religious life in Şuhut district within the changing social structure of the modern world and to reveal the traditional piety texture of the region. The study has been handled both theoretically and practically. Firstly, the social structure of Şuhut, its historical background and the basic dynamics affecting religious life are mentioned. Then, in the theoretical part, the relationship between religion and society, the concept of religiosity and sociological approaches were discussed; finally, in the practical part, the findings obtained from the field research were analysed and evaluated. Key words: Sociology of Religion, Şuhut, Religious Life, Religiosity, Transition Society