Individualization of Society and Religionization of the Individual

Abstract

The theoretical strategy of sociologists like Ulrich Beck and Zygmunt Bauman employing “individualization” as a key concept to understand the “second modernity” or postmodernity is effective to understand the recent transformation of religiosity in the world. The problematic arises when trying to understand in a coherent way how this individualization and the rise of new religiosity and religion's new role in the public space. This paper attempts to find clues to this problematic by taking up (1) the rise of spirituality concerning death and dying and (2) the growth of spiritual networks through self-help movements. Since the late 1980s, spiritual networks for those facing the crises of death and loss, and for those suffering from addiction and handicap, have increased conspicuously in Japan. This indicates that there is a trend of religionization of individuals who are living in an individualized society. If we broaden our perspective to the whole world, we can also observe the spread of salvation religions in such forms of “fundamentalism” and “cults.” They are proposing to participate in the public space advocating collective religious ties. However, in less distinct ways, those sympathetic with more individualized spirituality are also raising their voices in such agenda as environmental issues and bioethical problems. Individualization of society generates religionization of individuals that is in some manner related to the new forms of participation of religiosity in the public space.