The Oxford Handbook of Secularism (Oxford Handbooks)

"As recent headlines reveal, conflicts and debates around the world increasingly involve secularism. National borders and traditional religions cannot keep people in tidy boxes as political struggles, doctrinal divergences, and demographic trends are sweeping across regions and entire continents. And secularity is increasing in society, with a growing number of people in many regions having no religious affiliation or lacking interest in religion. Simultaneously, there is a resurgence of religious participation in the politics of many countries. How might these diverse phenomena be better understood? Long-reigning theories about the pace of secularization and ideal church-state relations are under invigorated scrutiny by scholars studying secularism with new questions, better data, and fresh perspectives. The Oxford Handbook of Secularism offers a wide-ranging and in-depth examination of this global conversation, bringing together the views of an international collection of prominent experts in their respective fields. This is the essential volume for comprehending the core issues and methodological approaches to the demographics and sociology of secularity; the history and variety of political secularisms; the comparison of constitutional secularisms across many countries from America to Asia; the key problems now convulsing church-state relations; the intersections of liberalism, multiculturalism, and religion; the latest psychological research into secular lives and lifestyles; and the naturalistic and humanistic worldviews available to nonreligious people."--Jaquette du volume Cover The Oxford Handbook of Secularism Copyright Contents List of Contributors Introduction: The Study of Secularism Part One Identifying the Secular, Secularity, Secularization, and Secularism 1. Identifying (with) the Secular: Description and Genealogy 2. Religious/Nonreligious Demography and Religion versus Science: A Global Perspective 3. Secularization and Its Consequences 4. The Imagined War between Secularism and Religion 5. Political Secularism 6. Political Secularism and Democracy in Theory and Practice Part Two Secular Governments 7. Anglo-American Secular Government 8. Secularism in France 9. Secularism in Turkey 10. Secularization in Israel 11. Secularism, State Neutrality, and Islam 12. Secular Government in Sub-Saharan Africa 13. Secularism in India 14. Soviet Atheism and Its Aftermath 15. Sacred, Secular, and Neosacred Governments in China and Taiwan Part Three Contesting Political Secularism 16. Religion in the Public Sphere 17. The Liberal Betrayal of Secularism 18. Religious Freedom in a Secular Society 19. Communicative Reason and Religious Faith in Secular and Postsecular Contexts 20. Secularisms or Liberal-Democratic Constitutionalism? 21. Multiculturalizing Secularism 22. Beyond Comparing Secularisms: A Critique of Religio-Secularism Part Four Politics of Church and State 23. A Secular Critique of Religious Ethics and Politics 24. Secular Education and Religion 25. Secularism, Feminism, and the Public Sphere 26. Secularism, Race, and Political Affiliation in America 27. Black Infidels: Secular Humanism, Atheism, and African American Social Thought 28. Secularism and US Religion Jurisprudence 29. Separating Church and State in America Part Five Secularity and Society 30. Varieties of Secular Experience 31. Secular Living: Many Paths, Many Meanings 32. Secular Prosociality and Well-Being 33. Secularism and the Science of Well-Being 34. Secular Spirituality 35. Nonreligious People in Religious Societies 36. The Challenge of Leaving Religion and Becoming Secular Part Six Morality and Secular Ethics 37. Agency and Responsibility in a Natural World 38. The Evolution of Sociality, Helping, and Morality 39. Ethics, Secular and Religious: An Evolved-Cognitive Analysis 40. Secular Ethics, East and West 41. Secularism, Humanism, and Secular Humanism: Terms and Institutions 42. Humanism as a Positive Outcome of Secularism 43. Secularization, Biomedical Technology, and Life Extension Index As Recent Headlines Reveal, Conflicts And Debates Around The World More And More Frequently Involve Secularism. National Borders And Traditional Religions Can No Longer Keep People In Tidy Boxes Anymore As Political Struggles, Doctrinal Divergences, And Demographic Trends Sweep Across Regionsand Entire Continents. Secularity Is Increasing In Society, With A Growing Number Of People In Many Regions Having No Religious Affiliation Or Lacking Interest In Religion. Simultaneously, There Is A Resurgence Of Religious Participation In The Politics Of Many Countries. How Might These Diversephenomena Be Interrelated, And Better Understood? The Oxford Handbook Of Secularism Offers A Wide-ranging Examination Of Secularism On A Global Scale, Bringing Together An International Collection Of Views From Prominent Experts In A Variety Of Fields. This Volume Reflects The Impressive Level Of Academic Attention Now Given To Secularism Acrossthe Humanities, Social Sciences, Law And Public Policy, And International Relations. Long-reigning Theories About The Pace Of Secularization, And Ideal Church-state Relations, Are Here Scrutinized By A New Generation Of Scholars Studying Secularism With New Questions, Better Data, And Freshperspectives.this Is The Essential Volume For Comprehending The Core Issues And Methodological Approaches To The Demographics And Sociology Of Secularity; The History And Variety Of Political Secularisms; The Comparison Of Constitutional Secularisms Across Countries Spanning From America To Asia; The Keyproblems Now Convulsing Church-state Relations; The Intersections Of Liberalism, Multiculturalism, And Religion; The Latest Psychological Research Into Secular Lives And Lifestyles; And The Naturalistic And Humanistic Worldviews Available To Nonreligious People. The Oxford Handbook Of Secularismaddresses A Wide Breadth Of Interrelated Issues And Problems From Multi-disciplinary Stances, Covering Scholarly Territory Not Addressed Previously.