Secularism: The Basics

Secularism: The Basics is a concise and engaging introduction to public discussions of secularism across the globe and this thoroughly updated edition continues to be an ideal starting point for anyone seeking a readable introduction to the often-conflicting interpretations of one of our era's most complex and controversial ideas.

Autorentext

Jacques Berlinerblau is a Professor of Jewish Civilization at Georgetown University, USA. He is the author of numerous scholarly works on secularism, including How to Be Secular: A Call to Arms for Religious Freedom (2012) and the article "Secular Africa: Making Sense of Non-Compliance to Secular Constitutions in Sub-Saharan Africa," co-authored by Bethania Michael and Alexander Lin (2023).

Klappentext

Secularism: The Basics is a concise and engaging introduction to public discussions of secularism across the globe and this thoroughly updated edition continues to be an ideal starting point for anyone seeking a readable introduction to the often-conflicting interpretations of one of our era's most complex and controversial ideas.

Inhalt

1. The S-Word: Define your terms! Part I: The ten principles of political secularism 2. Who's on top?: The two powers 3. "Thought is free": Martin Luther and early Modernity 4. "Burning Zeal": John Locke and the Enlightenment Part II: Frameworks of political secularism in global perspective 5. American secularism: The (wobbly) Separationist framework 6. French secularism: The laïcité framework 7. Mexican Secularism: Independence of State and Church 8. Indian secularism: The accommodationist framework 9. Swerves: Secularism and Atheism 10. Atheist secularism: The Soviet framework 11. Embrace complexity!: Turkey, China Part III: Anti-secularisms, lifestyle secularisms, and a case study 12. Secular Africa 13. Anti-secularisms of the right: Conservative religious anti-secularism 14. Anti-secularisms of the left 15. Lifestyle secularisms 16. LGBTQ rights in Uruguay and Secularstan with Alexander Lin and Ria Pradhan 17. Love the referee? Glossary of key terms Index