Religion and Secularism in France Today

This volume explores the dynamic relationship between religion and politics in France, highlighting the historical construction of secularism and its challenges in the modern era. It introduces the reader to a living and lived laicity influenced by social and religious dynamics, demonstrating that French secularism is both flexible and complex.

Format: Hardback
Length: 118 pages
Publication date: 03 May 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive volume delves into the intricate interplay of religion and politics in France, a secular republic founded on the principles of separation of church and state and the autonomy of school education from religion. The historical development of French secularism, known as laïcité, has been marked by a strong opposition between the state and the Catholic church. However, the religious disaffiliation of a significant portion of the French population has strengthened state secularism, which has gradually become more consensual, despite lingering tensions in the school context.

In recent decades, several factors have revived public debate on laicity, including disputes over "sects and new religious movements," controversies over Islam, the second-largest religion in France, and more recently, disputes over bioethics. Faced with these challenges, laicity, as well as the religious groups involved, have been evolving.

The authors of this book, esteemed experts in the study of religion and secularism in France, offer a captivating exploration of a living and lived laicity influenced by the social and religious dynamics of contemporary France. They demonstrate that the configurations of French secularism are both more flexible and complex than they may appear. The volume investigates the extent to which the French idea of secularization has been pushed to be more thorough and radical in its interaction with its European counterparts.

A seminal work in French political thought, this volume will appeal to scholars and researchers in international politics, political philosophy, political sociology, and religion and politics. It provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics between religion and politics in France and offers a rich understanding of the country's secularism and its implications for the broader world.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032003436