Secularism on the edge : church-state relations in the United States, France, and Israel / edited by Jacques Berlinerblau, Sarah Fainberg, and Aurora Nou.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Berlinerblau, Jacques, editor.

Fainberg, Sarah, editor.

Nou, Aurora, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Secularism--United States.

Secularism.

Church and state.

United States.

Church and state--United States.

Secularism--France.

France.

Church and state--France.

Secularism--Israel.

Israel.

Church and state--Israel.

Physical Description:

ix, 299 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

Summary:

What is secularism, and why does it matter? In an era marked by global religious revival, how do countries navigate the presence of faith in the public square? In this dynamic collection of essays, leading scholars from around the world, including Israeli novelist A.B. Yehoshua and French female rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, examine the condition of church-state relations in three pivotal countries: the United States, France, and Israel. Their analyses are rooted in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from ethnography and demography to political science, gender studies, theology, and law. Prominent among the points addressed are the crippling nomenclatural confusions that have so hampered not only secularism as a political ideology, but secularism as an academic construct. This reader-friendy volume also offers a critical and nuanced look at how women are impacted by secular governance. Though secularism is often equated with modernity and progress, including with regard to gender equality, our contributors find that the truth is infinitely more complicated. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Contemporary Challenges to American Secularism

1 America: A Christian Nation or a Secular Nation? A Conversation between / John Fea Fea, John, Jacques Berlinerblau Berlinerblau, Jacques 19

2 The Vitality of Soft Secularism in the United States and the Challenge Posed by the Growth of the Nones / Barr A. Kosmin Kosmin, Barr A. 35

3 Secular America: Nones, Atheists, and the Unaffiliated: A Conversation between / Phil Zuckerman Zuckerman, Phil, Jacques Berlinerblau Berlinerblau, Jacques 51

4 The Dangers of Conflating Secular People and Secularism: A Response to Fea, Kosmin, Zuckerman, and Berlinerblau / Erika B. Seamon Seamon, Erika B. 71

Part II Laïcité in a Multicultural France

5 French Laïcité: What Does It Stand for?: A Conversation between / Jean Bauberot Bauberot, Jean, Sarah Fainberg Fainberg, Sarah 85

6 Laïcité and the Idea of the Republic: The Principles of Universal Emancipation / Henri Peña-Ruiz Peña-Ruiz, Henri 95

7 Laïcité and Freedom of Conscience in Pluricultural France / Jean Baubérot Baubérot, Jean 103

8 Postwar French Jewry Facing Laïcité in a Multicultural France / Régine Azria Azria, Régine 113

9 Is Laicité Lost in Translation? / Delphine Horvilleur Horvilleur, Delphine 125

Part III Hiloniyut: Israel and the Challenge of Ultra-Orthodoxy

10 Ben-Gurion's Status Quo and Moving the Frontlines Between Hilonim (Secularists) and Datiim (Religious) / Ilan Greilsammer Greilsammer, Ilan 135

11 Israel's "Religious Secularism" / Anita Shapira Shapira, Anita 145

12 Israel's Self-Restrained Secularism from the 1947 Status Quo Letter to the Present / Denis Charbit Charbit, Denis 157

13 "Everything Is Jewish": A Conversation between / Avraham B. Yehoshua Yehoshua, Avraham B., Sarah Fainberg Fainberg, Sarah 173

Part IV Women and Secularism: Problems and Possibilities

14 In the Eyes of Patriarchal Religion, All Women Are Secular: Gender in Religion and Secularism / Susan Thistlethwaite Thistlethwaite, Susan 191

15 Freedom of Choice: Women and Demography in Isreal, France, and the United States / Ariela Keysar Keysar, Ariela 199

16 Secular Portraits and Religious Shadows: An Empirical Study of Religious Women in France / Pascale Fournier Fournier, Pascale 219

17 "Everything Is Water": On Being Baptized in Secularism / Lori G. Beaman Beaman, Lori G. 237.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781137381156

1137381159

OCLC:

882620265