Becoming an Atheist in America: Constructing Identity and Meaning from the Rejection of Theism

This study explores the identity formation process of self-avowed atheists in the context of American culture. Drawing on data collected from participant observation and 40 individual in-depth interviews with atheists in Colorado, four stages of atheist identity development are presented: the starti...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Smith, Jesse M. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Oxford Univ. Press 2011
In: Sociology of religion
Year: 2011, Volume: 72, Issue: 2, Pages: 215-237
Online Access: Volltext (JSTOR)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Electronic

MARC

LEADER 00000naa a22000002 4500
001 1819427064
003 DE-627
005 20221020053723.0
007 cr uuu---uuuuu
008 221020s2011 xx |||||o 00| ||eng c
024 7 |a 10.1093/socrel/srq082  |2 doi 
035 |a (DE-627)1819427064 
035 |a (DE-599)KXP1819427064 
040 |a DE-627  |b ger  |c DE-627  |e rda 
041 |a eng 
084 |a 0  |2 ssgn 
100 1 |a Smith, Jesse M.  |e VerfasserIn  |4 aut 
109 |a Smith, Jesse M. 
245 1 0 |a Becoming an Atheist in America: Constructing Identity and Meaning from the Rejection of Theism 
264 1 |c 2011 
336 |a Text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a Computermedien  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a Online-Ressource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
520 |a This study explores the identity formation process of self-avowed atheists in the context of American culture. Drawing on data collected from participant observation and 40 individual in-depth interviews with atheists in Colorado, four stages of atheist identity development are presented: the starting point/the ubiquity of theism, questioning theism, rejecting theism, and “coming out” atheist. I argue that an atheist identity is an achieved identity, and one that is constructed in social interaction. Focusing on the interactional processes and narrative accounts of participants, I discuss the process of rejecting the culturally normative belief in God, and the adoption instead, of an identity for which the “theist culture” at large offers no validation. This research illustrates how identification with atheism in America becomes an important aspect of self for those who adopt this label. Further, it makes a qualitative contribution to our incipient understanding of the subjective experience and identities of actual atheists, as well as the dynamics of irreligion and unbelief in America—an area of inquiry within the sociology of religion that is in need of further development. 
773 0 8 |i Enthalten in  |t Sociology of religion  |d Oxford : Oxford Univ. Pr., 1993  |g 72(2011), 2, Seite 215-237  |w (DE-627)341903728  |w (DE-600)2070139-1  |w (DE-576)263021270  |x 1759-8818  |7 nnns 
773 1 8 |g volume:72  |g year:2011  |g number:2  |g pages:215-237 
776 |i Erscheint auch als  |n elektronische Ausgabe  |w (DE-627)1646201310  |k Electronic 
856 |3 Volltext  |u http://www.jstor.org/stable/41288569  |x JSTOR 
856 4 0 |u https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srq082  |x Resolving-System  |z lizenzpflichtig  |3 Volltext 
856 4 0 |u https://academic.oup.com/socrel/article/72/2/215/1643195  |x Verlag  |z lizenzpflichtig  |3 Volltext 
935 |a mteo 
951 |a AR 
ELC |a 1 
ITA |a 1  |t 1 
LOK |0 000 xxxxxcx a22 zn 4500 
LOK |0 001 4199332588 
LOK |0 003 DE-627 
LOK |0 004 1819427064 
LOK |0 005 20221020053723 
LOK |0 008 221020||||||||||||||||ger||||||| 
LOK |0 035   |a (DE-Tue135)IxTheo#2022-09-27#239816B5409947F77A8915A8A57CC2EC7C63D883 
LOK |0 040   |a DE-Tue135  |c DE-627  |d DE-Tue135 
LOK |0 092   |o n 
LOK |0 852   |a DE-Tue135 
LOK |0 852 1  |9 00 
LOK |0 866   |x JSTOR#http://www.jstor.org/stable/41288569 
LOK |0 935   |a ixzs  |a ixrk  |a zota 
ORI |a SA-MARC-ixtheoa001.raw 
REL |a 1 
SUB |a REL 

Similar Items

more