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The Secular Paradox: On the Religiosity of the Not Religious (Secular Studies #5)
by null Joseph BlankholmChoice Outstanding Academic Title 2023A radically new way of understanding secularism which explains why being secular can seem so strangely religiousFor much of America’s rapidly growing secular population, religion is an inescapable source of skepticism and discomfort. It shows up in politics and in holidays, but also in common events like weddings and funerals. In The Secular Paradox, Joseph Blankholm argues that, despite their desire to avoid religion, nonbelievers often seem religious because Christianity influences the culture around them so deeply. Relying on several years of ethnographic research among secular activists and organized nonbelievers in the United States, the volume explores how very secular people are ambivalent toward belief, community, ritual, conversion, and tradition. As they try to embrace what they share, secular people encounter, again and again, that they are becoming too religious. And as they reject religion, they feel they have lost too much. Trying to strike the right balance, secular people alternate between the two sides of their ambiguous condition: absolutely not religious and part of a religion-like secular tradition.Blankholm relies heavily on the voices of women and people of color to understand what it means to live with the secular paradox. The struggles of secular misfits—the people who mis-fit normative secularism in the United States—show that becoming secular means rejecting parts of life that resemble Christianity and embracing a European tradition that emphasizes reason and avoids emotion. Women, people of color, and secular people who have left non-Christian religions work against the limits and contradictions of secularism to create new ways of being secular that are transforming the American religious landscape. They are pioneering the most interesting and important forms of secular “religiosity” in America today.
Secular Societies, Spiritual Selves?: The Gendered Triangle of Religion, Secularity and Spirituality (Gendering the Study of Religion in the Social Sciences)
by Anna FedeleSecular Societies, Spiritual Selves? is the first volume to address the gendered intersections of religion, spirituality and the secular through an ethnographic approach. The book examines how ‘spirituality’ has emerged as a relatively ‘silent’ category with which people often signal that they are looking for a way to navigate between the categories of the religious and the secular, and considers how this is related to gendered ways of being and relating. Using a lived religion approach the contributors analyse the intersections between spirituality, religion and secularism in different geographical areas, ranging from the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy to Canada, the United States and Mexico. The chapters explore the spiritual experiences of women and their struggle for a more gender equal way of approaching the divine, as well as the experience of men and of those who challenge binary sexual identities advocating for a queer spirituality. This volume will be of interest to anthropologists and sociologists as well as scholars in other disciplines who seek to understand the role of spirituality in creating the complex gendered dynamics of modern societies.
Secular State and Religious Society: Two Forces in Play in Turkey
by Berna TuramOn the basis of original, empirically rich, and theoretically sound social research, the chapters in this volume reveal and analyze the complex relations between the secular government of Turkey and the religious persons and society within the Turkish state.
Secular Translations: Nation-State, Modern Self, and Calculative Reason (Ruth Benedict Book Series)
by Talal AsadIn Secular Translations, the anthropologist Talal Asad reflects on his lifelong engagement with secularism and its contradictions. He draws out the ambiguities in our concepts of the religious and the secular through a rich consideration of translatability and untranslatability, exploring the circuitous movements of ideas between histories and cultures.In search of meeting points between the language of Islam and the language of secular reason, Asad gives particular importance to the translations of religious ideas into nonreligious ones. He discusses the claim that liberal conceptions of equality represent earlier Christian ideas translated into secularism; explores the ways that the language and practice of religious ritual play an important but radically transformed role as they are translated into modern life; and considers the history of the idea of the self and its centrality to the project of the secular state. Secularism is not only an abstract principle that modern liberal democratic states espouse, he argues, but also a range of sensibilities. The shifting vocabularies associated with each of these sensibilities are fundamentally intertwined with different ways of life. In exploring these entanglements, Asad shows how translation opens the door for—or requires—the utter transformation of the translated. Drawing on a diverse set of thinkers ranging from al-Ghazālī to Walter Benjamin, Secular Translations points toward new possibilities for intercultural communication, seeking a language for our time beyond the language of the state.
Secularism and Cosmopolitanism: Critical Hypotheses on Religion and Politics (European Perspectives: A Series in Social Thought and Cultural Criticism)
by Étienne BalibarWhat is the relationship between cosmopolitanism and secularism—the worldwide and the worldly? While cosmopolitan politics may seem inherently secular, existing forms of secularism risk undermining the universality of cosmopolitanism because they privilege the European tradition over all others and transform particular historical norms into enunciations of truth, valid for all cultures and all epochs. In this book, the noted philosopher Étienne Balibar explores the tensions lurking at this troubled nexus in order to advance a truly democratic and emancipatory cosmopolitanism, which requires a secularization of secularism itself.Balibar argues for the idea of the universal against its particular dominant institutions. He questions the assumptions that underlie popular ideas of secularism and religion and outlines the importance of a new critique for the contemporary world. Balibar holds that conflicts between religious and secular discourses need to be reframed from a point of view that takes into account the cultural hybridization, migration and mobility, and transformation of borders that have reshaped the postcolonial age. Among the topics discussed are the uses and misuses of the category of religion and the religious, the paradoxical genealogy of monotheism, French laïcité’s identitarian turn, and the implications of the responses to the Charlie Hebdo attacks for an extended definition of free speech. Going beyond circumscribed notions of religion and the public sphere, Secularism and Cosmopolitanism is a profound rethinking of identity and difference that seeks to make room for a renewed political imagination.
Secularism and Identity: Non-Islamiosity in the Iranian Diaspora (Studies in Migration and Diaspora)
by Reza GholamiWithin western political, media and academic discourses, Muslim communities are predominantly seen through the prism of their Islamic religiosities, yet there exist within diasporic communities unique and complex secularisms. Drawing on detailed interview and ethnographic material gathered in the UK, this book examines the ways in which a form of secularism - ’non-Islamiosity’ - amongst members of the Iranian diaspora shapes ideas and practices of diasporic community and identity, as well as wider social relations. In addition to developing a novel theoretical paradigm to make sense of the manner in which diasporic communities construct and live diasporic identity and consciousness in a way that marginalises, stigmatises or eradicates only ’Islam’, Secularism and Identity shows how this approach is used to overcome religiously inculcated ideas and fashion a desirable self, thus creating a new space in which to live and thereby attaining ’freedom’. Calling into question notions of anti-Islamism and Islamophobia, whilst examining secularism as a means or mechanism rather than an end, this volume offers a new understanding of religion as a marker of migrant identity. As such it will appeal to scholars of sociology, anthropology and political science with interests in migration and ethnicity, diasporic communities, the sociology of religion and emerging forms of secularism.
Secularism and Islam in Bangladesh: 50 Years After Independence (Routledge South Asian Religion Series)
by Abdul WohabSecularism and Islam in Bangladesh comprehensively analyses the syncretistic form of Bengali Islam and its relationship with secularism in Bangladesh from pre-British to contemporary times. It focuses on the importance of understanding the dynamics between religion and secularism within specific cultural contexts. The author draws upon historical, sociological, and political literature, Bangladeshi electoral results, newspaper reports, and elite interviews with political commentators and offers a rich historical and empirical analysis. Arguing that extremist interpretations of Islam, which aim to establish a theocratic state, have not been able to influence the pluralistic religious and cultural life of Bangladesh substantially, the book shows that religious and cultural pluralism will continue to thrive despite the apparent threat posed by increasing religiosity among Bangladeshi Muslims. This book is a timely and significant contribution to the discourse on secularism and Islam, with relevance beyond Bangladesh and the wider Islamic world. It will appeal to scholars and researchers working in the fields of South Asian Studies, Asian Religions, and the Sociology of Religion.
Secularism and Religion in Jewish-Israeli Politics: Traditionists and Modernity (Israeli History, Politics and Society)
by Yaacov YadgarCommon discourse on Jewish identity in Israel is dominated by the view that Jewish Israelis can, and should, be either religious or secular. Moving away from this conventional framework, this book examines the role of secularism and religion in Jewish society and politics. With a focus on the ‘traditionists’ (masortim) who comprise over a third of the Jewish-Israeli population, the author examines issues of religion, tradition and secularism in Israel, giving a fresh approach to the widening theoretical discussion regarding the thesis of secularisation and modernity and exploring the wider implications of this identity. Yadgar’s conclusions have significant social, cultural and political implications, serving not only as a new contribution to the academic discourse on Jewish-Israeli identity, but as a platform upon which traditionist positions on central issues of Israeli politics can be heard. Offering a detailed investigation into a central and important Jewish-Israeli identity construct, the book is relevant not only to the study of Jewish identity in Israel but also within the wider social-theoretical issues of religion, tradition, modernity and secularization. The book will be of great interest to students of Israeli society and to anyone looking into the issues of Jewish identity, Israeli nationalism and ethnicity, religion and politics in Israel, and the sociology of religion.
Secularism Confronts Islamism: Divergent Paths of Transitional Negotiations in Egypt and Tunisia (Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government)
by Mohammad AffanThis book provides in-depth examination of the recent confrontation between Islamists and secularists in Egypt and Tunisia. Presenting a new approach to understand Islamism and secularism, the research addresses the variables that could affect the outcome of transitional negotiations. The secularist-Islamist conflict proved to be a major hindrance for democratisation and a main source of political instability in the Middle East. During the Arab Spring, disputes between both political trends sparked shortly after getting rid of their common enemy: the autocratic rulers. First, they disagreed on how to lead the transitional period. Then, polarisation grew deeper with the political competition in the parliamentary and presidential elections and the ideological disagreements during the drafting of the constitution. Eventually, this conflict put Tunisia at a verge of civil strife in the summer of 2013 and led to collapse of the transitional process in Egypt after the military coup. Examining the causes of the conflict between the secularists and the Islamists during the transitional period, the work provides new insights from the Arab Spring experience. Updating the transition literature, the book is a key resource to academics and students interested in democratization theory and Middle East politics.
Secularism, Decolonisation, and the Cold War in South and Southeast Asia: Engaging The Believers (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia)
by Clemens SixThe intensifying conflicts between religious communities in contemporary South and Southeast Asia signify the importance of gaining a clearer understanding of how societies have historically organised and mastered their religious diversity. Based on extensive archival research in Asia, Europe, and the United States, this book suggests a new approach to interpreting and explaining secularism not as a Western concept but as a distinct form of practice in 20th-century global history. In six case studies on the contemporary history of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, it analyses secularism as a project to create a high degree of distance between the state and religion during the era of decolonisation and the emerging Cold War between 1945 and 1970. To demonstrate the interplay between local and transnational dynamics, the case studies look at patterns of urban planning, the struggle against religious nationalism, conflicts around religious education, and (anti-)communism as a dispute over secularism and social reform. The book emphasises in particular the role of non-state actors as key supporters of secular statehood – a role that has thus far not received sufficient attention. A novel approach to studying secularism in Asia, the book discusses the different ways that global transformations such as decolonisation and the Cold War interacted with local relations to reshape and relocate religion in society. It will be of interest to scholars of Religious Studies, International Relations and Politics, Studies of Empire, Cold War Studies, Subaltern Studies, Modern Asian History, and South and Southeast Asian Studies.
Secularism in Question: Jews and Judaism in Modern Times (Jewish Culture and Contexts)
by Ari Joskowicz Ethan B. KatzFor much of the twentieth century, most religious and secular Jewish thinkers believed that they were witnessing a steady, ongoing movement toward secularization. Toward the end of the century, however, as scholars and pundits began to speak of the global resurgence of religion, the normalization of secularism could no longer be considered inevitable. Recent decades have seen the strengthening of Orthodox movements in the United States and in Israel; religious Zionism has grown and radically changed since the 1960s, and new and vibrant nondenominational Jewish movements have emerged.Secularism in Question examines the ways these contemporary revivals of religion prompt a reconsideration of many issues concerning Jews and Judaism from the early modern era to the present. Bringing together scholars of history, religion, philosophy, and literature, this volume illustrates how the categories of "religious" and "secular" have frequently proven far more permeable than fixed. The contributors challenge the problematic assumptions about the development of secularism that emerge from Protestant European and American perspectives and demonstrate that global Jewish experiences necessitate a reappraisal of conventional narratives of secularism. Ultimately, Secularism in Question calls for rethinking the very terms that animate many of the most contentious debates in contemporary Jewish life and far beyond.Contributors: Michal Ben-Horin, Aryeh Edrei, Jonathan Mark Gribetz, Ari Joskowicz, Ethan B. Katz, Eva Lezzi, Vivian Liska, Rachel Manekin, David Myers, Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin, Andrea Schatz, Christophe Schulte, Daniel B. Schwartz, Galili Shahar, Scott Ury.
Secularism On The Edge
by Jacques Berlinerblau Sarah Fainberg Aurora NouWhat is secularism, and why does it matter? In an era marked by global religious revival, how do countries navigate the presence of faith in the public square? In this dynamic collection of essays, leading scholars from around the world, including Israeli novelist A. B. Yehoshua and French female rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, examine the condition of church-state relations in three pivotal countries: the United States, France, and Israel. Their analyses are rooted in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from ethnography and demography to political science, gender studies, theology, and law. Prominent among the points addressed are the crippling nomenclatural confusions that have so hampered not only secularism as a political ideology, but secularism as an academic construct. This reader-friendly volume also offers a critical and nuanced look at how women are impacted by secular governance. Though secularism is often equated with modernity and progress, including with regard to gender equality, our contributors find that the truth is infinitely more complicated.
Secularism, Religion, and Politics: India and Europe (Ethics, Human Rights and Global Political Thought)
by Péter Losonczi Walter Van HerckThis book highlights the relationship between the state and religion in India and Europe. It problematizes the idea of secularism and questions received ideas about secularism. It also looks at how Europe and India can learn from each other about negotiating religious space and identity in this globalised post-9/11 world.
Secularism Soviet Style: Teaching Atheism And Religion In A Volga Republic (New Anthropologies of Europe)
by Sonja LuehrmannSonja Luehrmann explores the Soviet atheist effort to build a society without gods or spirits and its afterlife in post-Soviet religious revival. Combining archival research on atheist propaganda of the 1960s and 1970s with ethnographic fieldwork in the autonomous republic of Marij El in Russia's Volga region, Luehrmann examines how secularist culture-building reshaped religious practice and interreligious relations. One of the most palpable legacies of atheist propaganda is a widespread didactic orientation among the population and a faith in standardized programs of personal transformation as solutions to wider social problems. This didactic trend has parallels in globalized forms of Protestantism and Islam but differs from older uses of religious knowledge in rural Russia. At a time when the secularist modernization projects of the 20th century are widely perceived to have failed, Secularism Soviet Style emphasizes the affinities and shared histories of religious and atheist mobilizations.
Secularization (Key Ideas)
by Charles Turner‘Secularization’ sounds simple, a decline in the power of religion. Yet, the history of the term is controversial and multi-faceted; it has been useful to both religious believers and non-believers and has been deployed by scholars to make sense of a variety of aspects of cultural and social change. This book will introduce the reader to this variety and show how secularization bears on the contemporary politics of religion. Secularization addresses the sociological classics’ ambivalent accounts of the future of religion, later and more robust sociological claims about religious decline, and the most influential philosophical secularization thesis, which says that the dominant ideas of modern thought are in fact religious ones in a secularized form. The book outlines some shortcomings of these accounts in the light of historical inquiry and comparative sociology; examines claims that some religions are ‘resistant to secularization’; and analyzes controversies in the politics of religion, in particular over the relationship between Christianity and Islam and over the implicitly religious character of some modern political movements. By giving equal attention to both sociological and philosophical accounts of secularization, and equal weight to ideas, institutions, and practices, this book introduces complicated ideas in a digestible format. It will appeal to students and scholars interested in making unusual connections within sociology, anthropology, philosophy, theology, and political theory.
Secularization and China's Modernization
by Zhongmin WuThis open access book examines from the perspective of secularization. Since the publication of Max Weber's Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism, how to realize modernization in developing countries has become an urgent problem to be demonstrated. Secularization has becoming endogenous power for Chinese modernization procedure, especially since 1978. However, to understand the foundation of secularization, it is inevitable to tracing back to Chinese history. This approach contains critical analysis and profound insight to illuminate the essence of secularization in contemporary Chinese context. The author also applies the comparative approach: by comparing with Protestant ethics in many Western European countries, the significance of secularization has been emphasized. The widespread and intense secularization boosts China into the trend modernization that covers nearly all aspects of society. This book is in need for those who intended to discern the truth of Chinese modernization. It is also a key tool of reflecting modernization and development in a broader sense.
Secure Accommodation in Child Care: 'Between Hospital and Prison or Thereabouts?'
by Robert Harris Professor Noel Timms Noel TimmsFor some children secure accommodation seems to be the only way to control their disparate number of "problems". But why is this so, and from what criteria do social work professionals decide that a child should be put into secure accommodation? In Secure Accommodation in Child Care the authors use an empirical study of secure accommodation as a basis for an analysis of the relations between the state, the family and the "difficult" child. By looking at court procedures, social workers and the children themselves they explain how professionals and children make sense of their worlds, and how they translate that "sense" into personal or professional action. Secure Accommodation in Child Care is essential reading for social service managers, social policy makers, social workers and health care professionals as well as for students and lecturers of social policy and social work.
Secure and Tranquil Travel
by Derek B. Cornish Martha J. SmithHerein lie the answers to crime and disorder. So many people become dispirited, fatalistic or angry about crime instead of seeing crime problems, like business setbacks, as challenges or even opportunities. This book sets out a clear, systematic and demonstrably successful strategy for reducing the temptations and opportunities for crime. You cannot change the travelling public or the communities which public transport serves, but you can change the immediate circumstances and surroundings that you present to people, you can re-think and reinvigorate your service offering, you can recruit help from other agencies, from staff and even those who ride the system, and you can make the transition from being reactive to being ahead of the game. The theory is backed up by concrete examples of how and why and where smart-thinking has worked before to outflank crime-this is not just off-the-shelf self-help philosophy but a compendium of real-world best practice. What's more, you can often make money, or at least save a lot of money, by doing the right thing, and this book tells you how. Nick Ross,BBC Crimewatch UK, Chairman, UCL Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science Advisory Board
Secure Recovery: Approaches to Recovery in Forensic Mental Health Settings
by Gerard Drennan Deborah AlredSecure Recovery is the first text to tackle the challenge of recovery-oriented mental health care in forensic services and prison-based therapeutic communities in the UK. Recovery as an emergent paradigm in the field of mental health presents a challenge to all services to embrace a new clinical philosophy, but nowhere are the implications more profound than in services that are designed to meet the needs of mentally disordered and personality-disordered offenders, both men and women. The chapters collected together in this book represent a cross-section of experiences in high, medium and low secure services and prison-based therapeutic communities in England and Scotland that have begun to implement a recovery orientation to the rehabilitation of offenders with mental health needs. Secure Recovery sets out a road map of guiding principles, practical and evidence-based strategies for promoting service user participation in their care and treatment and further demonstrates the adaption of traditional treatment approaches, and the development of innovations in rehabilitation, as well as tackling training for staff teams, and the evaluation of service delivery. This book provides a valuable resource and an inspiration to practitioners working across forensic mental health settings, increasing understanding of contemporary challenges and suggesting ways of moving forward.
Securing Africa: Local Crises and Foreign Interventions (Routledge African Studies #12)
by Toyin Falola Charles ThomasAfrica has been and currently is the site of numerous conflicts and crises. Authors previously wrote of these as specifically African problems or the problems of Europeans in Africa, but newer scholarship on other aspects of Africa has come to stress the interconnectness of Africa and the wider world. Still, it has often been limited to studies of isolated instances within African countries, with little-to-no connection to greater patterns of international power and violence. This volume explores the historical and present local and international dimensions of the myriad security crises in Africa, from the role of international relations during liberation to multination efforts against piracy.
Securing Borders, Securing Power: The Rise and Decline of Arizona's Border Politics
by Mike SlavenIn 2010 Arizona enacted Senate Bill 1070, the notorious “show-me-your-papers” law. At the time, it was widely portrayed as a draconian outlier; today, it is clear that events in Arizona foreshadowed the rise of Donald Trump and underscored the worldwide trend toward the securitization of migration—treating immigrants as a security threat. Offering a comprehensive account of the SB 1070 era in Arizona and its fallout, this book provides new perspective on why policy makers adopt hard-line views on immigration and how this trend can be turned back.Tracing how the issue of unauthorized migration consumed Arizona state politics from 2003 to 2010, Mike Slaven analyzes how previously extreme arguments can gain momentum among politicians across the political spectrum. He presents an insider account based on illuminating interviews with political actors as well as historical research, weaving a compelling narrative of power struggles and political battles. Slaven details how politicians strategize about border politics in the context of competitive partisan conflicts and how securitization spreads across parties and factions. He examines right-wing figures who pushed an increasingly extreme agenda; the lukewarm center-right, which faced escalating far-right pressure; and the nervous center-left, which feared losing the center to border-security appeals—and he explains why the escalation of securitization broke down, yielding new political configurations. A comprehensive chronicle of a key episode in recent American history, this book also draws out lessons that Arizona’s experience holds for immigration politics across the world.
Securing Canada’s Future: Vital Insights from Women Experts (UTP Insights)
by Aisha AhmadAfter decades of uncontested dominance, the era of American hegemony is ending and a new multipolar world order is emerging in its place. This transformation is also occurring alongside uncontrolled climate change and the development of volatile new technologies. Together, these factors dramatically complicate the global threat landscape. Securing Canada’s Future offers a comprehensive analysis of the most serious challenges that Canada will face in the near future. Written by leading Canadian women scholars and security experts, this collection covers the most critical risks and threats on the horizon, including rising Chinese power, resurgent Russian aggression, escalating competition in the Arctic, the near irreversibility of climate change, disaster management and mitigation, evolving cybersecurity threats, and gendered violence. Securing Canada’s Future explores what this future threat landscape will look like for Canadians and shows how Canada can prepare for and mitigate upcoming risks. This practical, forward-thinking volume maps out the most urgent national and international security issues that Canada is destined to face in the foreseeable future.
Securing Health: Lessons from Nation-building Operations
by Federico Girosi Lois M. Davis Lee H. Hilborne Seth G. Jones C. Ross AnthonyRAND researchers analyzed the health components of seven post-World War II nation-building efforts conducted after major conflicts--Germany, Japan, Somalia, Haiti, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq--and found that two factors are correlated with successful health outcomes: planning and coordination, and infrastructure and resources.
Securing India in the Cyber Era (The Gateway House Guide to India in the 2020s)
by Sameer PatilThis book explores the geopolitics of the global cyber space to analyse India’s cyber security landscape. As conflicts go more online, nation-states are manipulating the cyber space to exploit each other’s dependence on information, communication, and digital technologies. All the major powers have dedicated cyber units to breach computer networks, harvest sensitive data and proprietary information, and disrupt critical national infrastructure operations The volume reviews threats to Indian computer networks, analyses the country’s policy responses to these threats, and suggests comprehensive measures to build resilience in the system. India constitutes the second largest internet user base in the world, and this expansion of the user base also saw an accompanying rise in cybercrimes. The book discusses how the country can protect this user base, the data-dependent critical infrastructure, build resilient digital payment systems, and answer the challenges of the dark net. It also explores India’s cyber diplomacy, as an emerging economy with a large IT industry and a well-established technological base. Topical and lucid, this book as part of The Gateway House Guide to India in the 2020s series will be of interest to scholars and researchers of cyber security, digital diplomacy, foreign policy, international relations, geopolitics, strategic affairs, defence studies, South Asian politics, and international politics.
Securing Mega-Events: Networks, Strategies and Tensions (Crime Prevention and Security Management)
by Chad Whelan Adam MolnarMega-events such as the Olympic Games, World Cup finals and international political summits are occasions of almost unparalleled economic, political and social significance for host nations and cities. The scale and scope of mega-event security has continued to grow enormously since 11 September 2001, consistently involving the largest policing and security operations for event hosts outside of wartime. This book is the first to focus exclusively on the organisational dynamics underpinning the design and delivery of mega-event security. Using the G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia in November 2014 as a case study, in conjunction with comparisons with events such as the Toronto 2010 G20, the authors engage in a comprehensive assessment of the networks, strategies and tensions involved in mega-event security. By drawing on the insightful experiences of those responsible for securing the Brisbane 2014 G20, the authors look behind-the-scenes to capture the complexity of mega-event security. The authors argue that such an approach is essential to better appreciate how different conceptions of security, ways of thinking and acting, impact a range of security ideals and outcomes.