The Limits of Contemporary Sociology: Secularisation, Sacralisation and the Resurgence of Religion in the Public Realm - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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The Limits of Contemporary Sociology: Secularisation, Sacralisation and the Resurgence of Religion in the Public Realm

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Title: The Limits of Contemporary Sociology: Secularisation, Sacralisation and the Resurgence of Religion in the Public Realm


1
The Limits of Contemporary Sociology
Secularisation, Sacralisation and the Resurgence
of Religion in the Public Realm
  • John Eade
  • CRONEM/Surrey
  • and Roehampton Universities

2
No Universal Model?
  • European or American exceptionalism
  • No universal model based on a regional experience
  • Different secularising processes reflecting
    historical particularities and global/local
    interactions

3
England and Secularism Between the European and
American Poles?
  • Europe religion controlled by the state so that
    newcomers are obliged to fit within this
    structure (Muslim representation in France and
    Belgium, the Dutch and German pillar system

4
England and Secularism Between the European and
American Poles?
  • In the USA the states permissive tradition
    encourages religious pluralism and does not
    control or centralise religious representation
  • In England the established Church holds a
    privileged position but other Christian groups
    and non-Christian newcomers enjoy a relatively
    high degree of freedom from state control

5
English Exceptionalism Controlling
Non-Christian Groupsin Public Space
  • Before The Satanic Verses saga the state followed
    the English mixed economy of preserving the
    privileged position of the Church of England and
    allowing non-Christian groups considerable
    freedom
  • This was accompanied by the resurgence of
    religious consciousness among minority groups and
    their increasing visibility

6
The 1990s onwards Moving towards the European
Model?
  • Global and local events such as the first Gulf
    war, 9/11, 7/7 and engagements in Iraq and
    Afghanistan
  • Effect has been to increase state surveillance,
    encouragement of assimilation, hierarchical
    organisation, engagement with a secular majority
    and closing the gap with Europe

7
Resistance to StateSecularising Pressure
Sacralising Public Space
  • The momentum of sacralising local space and
    asserting a public presence by non-Christian
    groups has not slowed
  • Nor have the attempts by their religious leaders
    to develop a moral order free from western
    secular corruption diminished

8
From Private to Public Space The Sacralisation
of Mainstream Urban Space
  • 1960s and 1970s use of private accommodation by
    non-Christians
  • 1980s onwards taking over mainstream public
    secular and religious buildings
  • Purifying religion from syncretic cultural
    traditions
  • Sustaining or restoring moral order in a corrupt
    secular West

9
Four Case Studies from Two Cronem Projects Three
Different Mosques in Londons East End
  • Transnational migration and minority ethnic
    groups in Londons dark, exotic east
  • Doing dawah among Muslim settlers the Markazi
    mosque on Christian Street
  • Going public making a grand statement for the
    Olympics

10
Brick Lane Mosque, E. London
11
East London Mosque
12
East London Mosque
13
West Ham Mosque
14
West Ham Mosque
15
Tabligh Jamaat and London Olympics
16
Tamil Hindus in London East End
  • Migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers from
    Sri Lanka
  • Tamil settlers from India
  • Moving from a pub to a temple
  • Creating moral order the circulation of priestly
    experts

17
East Ham Temple, E. London
18
Neasden Temple, W. London
19
Kimbanguist Christiansin N. London
  • French-speaking refugees and asylum seekers from
    the DRC
  • Sacralising space external anonymity and
    internal elaboration
  • Sacred centres and peripheries London, Brussels,
    Paris and the Congolese temple

20
The Polish Catholic Mission
  • Old Poles and new Poles
  • Preserving the faith pilgrimage to a Marian
    shrine in the Kent countryside
  • Sustaining moral order in a decadent secular
    west transnational migrants and a historic
    mission
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