Research Note: Talking about a Revolution: Terminology for the New Field of Non-religion Studies
The recognition of non-religion as a significant social, cultural, and psychological phenomenon represents a sea change—or revolution—in social scientific thinking about religion and modernity. The speedy expansion of the field has, however, left its terminology lagging behind, with most scholars dr...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Carfax Publ.
[2012]
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| In: |
Journal of contemporary religion
Year: 2012, Volume: 27, Issue: 1, Pages: 129-139 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) |
| Summary: | The recognition of non-religion as a significant social, cultural, and psychological phenomenon represents a sea change—or revolution—in social scientific thinking about religion and modernity. The speedy expansion of the field has, however, left its terminology lagging behind, with most scholars drawing on concepts familiar to the disciplinary or other cultural settings within which they work. The result is a terminology that is used inconsistently, imprecisely, and often illogically. This research note aims to draw attention to this situation and to suggest a working terminology. Focusing on core terms, I argue for: using non-religion' as the master concept for this new field of study, demoting atheism' from its illogically central role in the current discussion, untangling secularism' and secularity' from both these concepts. This will allow social scientists to be more precise in how they use the four concepts and better equip them for analysing the relationship between them. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-9419 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2012.642742 |