The Secular Landscape

This book proposes a comprehensive theory of the loss of religion in human societies, with a specific and substantive focus on the contemporary United States. Kevin McCaffree draws on a range of disciplines including sociology, psychology, anthropology, and history to explore topics such as the origin of religion, the role of religion in recent American history, the loss of religion, and how Americans are dealing with this loss. The book is not only richly theoretical but also empirical. Hundreds of scientific studies are cited, and new statistical analyses enhance its core arguments. What emerges is an integrative and illuminating theory of secularization.

Uses statistical analysis, data synthesis, and hypothesis testing in order to determine the state of religion in America Discusses US secularization within the larger context of global religiosity Addresses the dynamic of secularization from a variety of angles, both theoretical and empirical

Autorentext
Kevin McCaffree is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Indiana-Purdue University, USA.

Inhalt

1. The Secular Landscape.- 2. Religion Explained.- 3. Religious America.- 4. Shades of the Secular.- 5. American Nones.- 6. The Future of Religion.