Books

The debate about secularism and secularization has become a central issue in politics, public policy and international affairs. Secularization explores its history, the sociology, America’s exceptionalism and the revival of world religions.

• Volume I explores the history and meaning of key terms: secular, secularism, secularity, secularization and laicity. It is primarily concerned with the philosophy and theology of the secular and examines the evolution of the debate from St Augustine’s two cities to contemporary writings and is not confined to Christian debate.
• Volume II deals with the sociology of secularization and contains the classic statements by sociologists such as Max Weber, Georg Simmel, Bryan Wilson, David Martin, and Thomas Luckmann.
• Volume III considers American exceptionalism. Much the debate in sociology has centered on the question of America’s differences from secular Europe. Religion and politics have been significantly interconnected in American history; America is a very special but influential case of secularization.
• Volume IV involves the comparative sociology of modern religious revivalism and the notion that we are in a post-secular society. The manifestations of religious revival in post-secular societies are truly global. This volume looks at the revival of world religions and popular religions such as spirit possession in the post-communist societies.