The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone West
Previous sociological research on science and religion, and secularity and nonreligion, has highlighted a consistent connection between science and nonreligious identities. Yet, the dynamics of this association have not been explored in depth. Building upon a growing body of work, this article adopt...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ubiquity Press
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Secularism and Nonreligion |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.secularismandnonreligion.org/index.php/up-j-sn/article/view/163 |
| _version_ | 1797672557441187840 |
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| author | Rebecca Catto Rachael Shillitoe Stephen H. Jones Tom Kaden Fern Elsdon-Baker |
| author_facet | Rebecca Catto Rachael Shillitoe Stephen H. Jones Tom Kaden Fern Elsdon-Baker |
| author_sort | Rebecca Catto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous sociological research on science and religion, and secularity and nonreligion, has highlighted a consistent connection between science and nonreligious identities. Yet, the dynamics of this association have not been explored in depth. Building upon a growing body of work, this article adopts a relational approach to science and nonreligion to analyze nonreligious life scientists and members of the public in Canada and the UK’s narratives around science and religion. Across a variety of nonreligious identities, they tend to presume religion is irrational and consequently incompatible with science, idealize science, and refer to religious people as a less scientific outgroup. Upbringing, friendships, workspaces, and education all contribute to beliefs about science, (non)religion, and society. The social imaginary that to be modern is to be secular and scientific has enduring cultural power within these Western contexts, affecting daily life. Whether this is the case in other countries is a question for future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:31:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-63703fd06e394c6db68d1ccbd27f8739 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-6712 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:31:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Secularism and Nonreligion |
| spelling | doaj.art-63703fd06e394c6db68d1ccbd27f87392023-09-27T08:19:39ZengUbiquity PressSecularism and Nonreligion2053-67122023-08-01123310.5334/snr.16368The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone WestRebecca Catto0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1791-6651Rachael Shillitoe1Stephen H. Jones2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2761-8882Tom Kaden3Fern Elsdon-Baker4Kent State UniversityUniversity of BirminghamKeele UniversityUniversity of BayreuthUniversity of BirminghamPrevious sociological research on science and religion, and secularity and nonreligion, has highlighted a consistent connection between science and nonreligious identities. Yet, the dynamics of this association have not been explored in depth. Building upon a growing body of work, this article adopts a relational approach to science and nonreligion to analyze nonreligious life scientists and members of the public in Canada and the UK’s narratives around science and religion. Across a variety of nonreligious identities, they tend to presume religion is irrational and consequently incompatible with science, idealize science, and refer to religious people as a less scientific outgroup. Upbringing, friendships, workspaces, and education all contribute to beliefs about science, (non)religion, and society. The social imaginary that to be modern is to be secular and scientific has enduring cultural power within these Western contexts, affecting daily life. Whether this is the case in other countries is a question for future research.https://account.secularismandnonreligion.org/index.php/up-j-sn/article/view/163sciencenonreligionbeliefevidenceconflict thesis |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca Catto Rachael Shillitoe Stephen H. Jones Tom Kaden Fern Elsdon-Baker The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone West Secularism and Nonreligion science nonreligion belief evidence conflict thesis |
| title | The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone West |
| title_full | The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone West |
| title_fullStr | The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone West |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone West |
| title_short | The Social Imaginary of Science and Nonreligion: Narrating the Connection in the Anglophone West |
| title_sort | social imaginary of science and nonreligion narrating the connection in the anglophone west |
| topic | science nonreligion belief evidence conflict thesis |
| url | https://account.secularismandnonreligion.org/index.php/up-j-sn/article/view/163 |
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