Revisiting Secularism in Theory and Practice

This book offers a philosophical and macro-historical analysis of secularism, supported by an investigation of various contemporary cases. Starting with an in-depth theoretical discussion of the meaning of secularism, it subsequently presents a historical study on the secularization of norms and identities in Europe. The respective case studies cover topics such as the epistemologies of secularism, liberalization and embedded secularism, the relationship between modernity and secularism, the socio-anthropology of secularism, Turkish modernization as a cultural revolution, the political economy of secularism in Turkey, and the secular rationale of the EU neighborhood policy.

This book offers a philosophical and macro-historical analysis of secularism, supported by an investigation of various contemporary cases. Starting with an in-depth theoretical discussion of the meaning of secularism, it subsequently presents a historical study on the secularization of norms and identities in Europe. The respective case studies cover topics such as the epistemologies of secularism, liberalization and embedded secularism, the relationship between modernity and secularism, the socio-anthropology of secularism, Turkish modernization as a cultural revolution, the political economy of secularism in Turkey, and the secular rationale of the EU neighborhood policy.

Confluence of Politics an Religion: An Introduction.- Civilization as Secularization: The Transformation of European Identities.- On Multiple Epistemologies of Secularism: Towards a Political Economy Critique.- The Westernization of a Western Country. Between Liberalization and the Continuity of Corporate Models: Économie Politique, Secularism and the Organisation of Industry.- The Modern Is Not Secular: Mapping the Idea of Secularism in the Works of Steve Bruce, Charles Taylor and Talal Asad.- The Socio-Anthropology of Secularism: From Genealogy to the Multiple Manifestations of the Secular.- Understanding Turkish Modernization in the Midst of Conjectural Changes in Ethics and Politics.- The Political Economy of Secularism in Turkey: Beyond Culturalist and Ideational Explanations.- Does Religion Matter? In Search of a Secular Rationale of the EU Neighborhood Policy: Cases of Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan.- Concluding Remarks.