Rethinking Secularism

by Craig J. Calhoun (Editor), Mark Juergensmeyer, Jonathan VanAntwerpen

This collection of essays presents groundbreaking work from an interdisciplinary group of leading theorists and scholars representing the fields of history, philosophy, political science, sociology, and anthropology. The volume will introduce readers to some of the most compelling new conceptual and theoretical understandings of secularism and the secular, while also examining socio-political trends involving the relationship between the religious and the secular from a variety of locations across the globe.
In recent decades, the public has become increasingly aware of the important role religious commitments play in the cultural, social, and political dynamics of domestic and world affairs. This so called ''resurgence'' of religion in the public sphere has elicited a wide array of responses, including vehement opposition to the very idea that religious reasons should ever have a right to expression in public political debate. The current global landscape forces scholars to reconsider not only once predominant understandings of secularization, but also the definition and implications of secular assumptions and secularist positions. The notion that there is no singular secularism, but rather a range of multiple secularisms, is one of many emerging efforts to reconceptualize the meanings of religion and the secular.
Rethinking Secularism surveys these efforts and helps to reframe discussions of religion in the social sciences by drawing attention to the central issue of how ''the secular'' is constituted and understood. It provides valuable insight into how new understandings of secularism and religion shape analytic perspectives in the social sciences, politics, and international affairs.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Nonfiction, Sociology, Academic

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2011

Reviews

[Alexander Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent collection of essays from many of the leading scholars on the topic. I found it very interesting to see how other democracies are structured differently than in America, such as state funding for religious schools and giving all religions paid holidays. The introduction points out how "secular" was an invention of Latin Christendom, thus why secular does not always translate well around the world. The main take away I got from the book was that the state can "positively accommodate" religion, such as with the above examples of school funding and paid holidays, without impinging on the liberties of its citizens. In fact, positive accommodation can lead to greater liberty because all religions, not just majority religions, are protected. Banning religion from public discourse would be the equivalent of telling someone that Plato or Locke is banned from public discourse. If religion matters to people it deserves to b a part of politics.

[Amel Khennoussi]

إعادة النظر في العلمانية.
415 ص.
دار النشر:الشبكة العربية للابحاث والنشر.
الكتاب مجموعة من الدراسات لعلماء من عدة تخصصات الفلسفية والاجتماعية وغيرها.
موضوع الكتاب عموما هو العلاقة بين الدين والعلمانية، ومحاولة من الباحثين لإنعاش العلمانية كي تحتوي الدين من جهة، وأن يتفهم الدين العلمانية أكثر من جهة اخرى باعتبارها الحل الافضل في ظل التنوع الديني الموجود حاليا .
يفتتح الكتاب بفصل تايلور أين تحدث عن اصول العلمانية تاريخيا وهي فقرة مهمة جدا، بقية الفصول كانت أفكارها تدور خصوصا على محاولة لتقليص الخط الفاصل بين العلمانية والدين، العلمانية والمواطنة، العلمانية والجمعيات غير الحكومية، علاقة العلمانية بالديمقراطية ، والقوميات والنظم الاجتماعية.
في الفصول الاخيرة تم التركيز على العنف والدين،وشرح نماذج للعلمانيات المختلفة كالمطبقة بالهند واندونيسيا وتركيا..
ثم يختتم طلال أسد برؤيته عن حرية التعبير والقيود الدينية.
كتاب صعب وأكاديمي، ليس من السهل أبدا استيعاب كل الافكار به، لكن يمكن للقارئ أن يخرج بأفكار جديدة خصوصا تلك المتعلقة باشكال العلمانيات المختلفة وهو عكس مايعرفه الاغلب من أحادية الفكر العلماني.

[Dhātturā · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome. Read it.

[versarbre]

more about politics.

[Gulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great chapters in this very informative book.