Secular Country Research Articles

Religious accommodation in France: decoding managers' behaviour

PurposeThis research aims to explain, in the secular French context, the intention of managers to accommodate religious expression at work (REW) when they are not obliged to do so. This paper seeks to understand the determinants of managerial positions on REW. Building on previous studies on how organisations and managers deal with religious expression, this research seeks to extend the evidence on this important aspect of managerial behaviour in relation to accommodating REW.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in diversity management (N = 151 French managers). This method highlights attitudinal and organisational determinants favourable to the intent to accommodate.FindingsThe present research provides new insight by identifying two main direct factors affecting managers' accommodation, namely, organisational flexibility (flexible hours, autonomy) and perceived consequences (advantages, disadvantages) and one indirect factor, religiosity. In line with the contradictions within diversity management, the perceived consequences are ambivalent and highly context dependent. One issue to explore is that managers seek to deal with religious expression by making it invisible.Research limitations/implicationsIn the French context, the explanatory social norm might not be “religiosity” but rather “perceived secularity”. The authors recommend that future studies use qualitative methods with interviews and photo elicitation to extend this first study. Indeed, the complexity of the managerial position requires an in-depth understanding of managers' attitudes and behaviours with regard to religion. How do managers apply a common ground strategy and create unity despite differences? Is the desire to make arrangements invisible with a view to inclusive neutrality specific to France, or can it be generalised to managers in other countries? Does the intention to accommodate not essentially depend on the manager-employee relationship dynamic? This research raises questions for scholars about the relationship with the other and ethical managerial conduct.Practical implicationsFrance is a secular country where a debate is emerging on cases of discrimination due to REW. The results contribute to approaches to drafting company guidelines for managers and may help organisations anticipate the risks associated with REW. The discussion of the results reveals the importance of social norms in the sense of hypernorms (religiosity) and undoubtedly of secularism, nondiscrimination and gender equality in the decision-making process on accommodation. These inclusive norms should therefore be handled with care in the various guidelines that have been developed.Originality/valueREW is increasing but is a neglected dimension of diversity management. This study helps explore this new field by promoting an understanding of managers' intention to accommodate in a specific secular context.

When the Gods Fall: Varieties of Post-Secularization in a Small, Secularized State

AbstractLengthy debates over the process of secularization in the West have concluded. In many ways, secularization theorists appear to have “won” the debate: traditional measures of religious vitality reveal a decline in religion. Yet, recent events, especially those involving politics and national identity, have encouraged scholars and members of the public to reconsider the ways in which something like religion might endure and influence public life in secularized Western nations. This paper uses the “exceptional-typical” case of Iceland—a modern, Western, secularized country of comparatively small population size—to observe and conceptualize a variety of processes which are here collectively named “post-secularization.” Its findings suggest that processes which may appear as unrelated or opposing forces—the emergence of new religious movements, the transformation of traditional religious symbols into profane branding, far right nationalist movements—may be part of a single, post-secularization process. Secularization, having fissured the sacred, leaves religion a pliable cultural tool.

Termination of pregnancy following a Down Syndrome diagnosis: decision-making process and influential factors in a Muslim but secular country, Turkey.

This study aims to present the termination of pregnancy (TOP) rates and elucidate the decision-making process following a prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 21 in Turkey. This retrospective single-center study was conducted with 146 pregnant women between January 2016 and December 2019 in a tertiary hospital. Data on maternal characteristics, sonographic findings, indications for chromosome analysis, and educational, religious, and economic factors that can influence the parental decision process were collected. The TOP rate of Down syndrome (DS) in our center was 78.8%. We concluded that maternal age, earlier diagnosis, indication for chromosome analysis, and previous pregnancies had no effect on the TOP decision. On the other hand, not having a minor or a major sonographic sign, employed mothers, middle- and high-income families, and families having a secondary or higher education tended to terminate the pregnancy affected by DS at statistically higher rates. There are many studies worldwide investigating the TOP preferences for DS. However, there is limited data about TOP rates and influential factors affecting the decision-making process in Muslim countries. This study contributes by clarifying the factors in the decision-making process and elucidating perspectives about TOP in a Muslim country with a unique status: Turkey.

The Pilgrimage Landscape in Contemporary Estonia: New Routes, Narratives, and Re-Christianization

Abstract This article is the first attempt at mapping the pilgrimage landscape in contemporary Estonia, reputedly one of the most secularized countries in Europe. Based on fieldwork on three case studies — the Estonian Society of the Friends of the Camino de Santiago, the Pirita-Vastseliina pilgrim trail, and the “Mobile Congregation” — we have identified three distinctive features that shape the Estonian pilgrimage scene. The processes of Caminoization and heritagization characterize pilgrimage on a European scale, while the phenomenon that we call “bridging” has a more local flavor. Bridging refers to using pilgrimage to create connections between the Church (of any Christian denomination) and “secular” people. Historically a Christian practice, pilgrimage has transformed into something much more ambiguous. Thus, people often perceive pilgrimage as religion-related but still inherently secular. As the relationships between institutionalized religion and the vernacular world of beliefs and practices are multivalent, there is evidence of an ongoing “re-Christianization” of pilgrimage.

RENCANA PEMBANGUNAN JANGKA PANJANG (RPJP), SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) AND MAQASID AL-SHARIAH: THE CASE OF KABUPATEN REMBANG

The objective of this paper is to analyze Rencana Jangka Panjang Daerah Kabupaten Rembang from SDGs and Maqosid Shariah point of view. This paper find that, SDGs only confirm with 4 element maqosid syariah, except the first maqosid. For the secular countries, it is not create any problems, but for the Regency like Rembang, the fulfilment of first maqosid namely “safeguarding religion” is very important. Hence, adobting SDGs need to be modified. In majority SDGs are connects with the 4th and 5th objective of shariah. It means that, from Maqosid Syariah view, SDGs are very focus on the economic and long-life aspect. While, there is no goal of SDGs that has intended to the development of religion. If compared to RPJPD, for the first objective of Shariah there is no specific indication that Rembang has concern on this. For the second objective of Shariah, it has strong relationship with SDGs, thus, in RPJPD there are some real concern from the government in achieving this goal. Indeed, for the goal related to progency and economic aspect, RPJPD of Rembang are very much focus on the fulfilment of this. Hence, there are many program related to this goal. Contrastly, although, education that confirm to SDGs and also 3rd Maqosid syariah, has been accommodated in RPJPD, but this program is away from the main characteristics of Rembang, namely Pesantren and Madrasah. In RPJPD, it is clearly indicated that, the final goal of education is just in term of achieving scores such as APS and APM, rather than character building which has been done by Pesantren and Madrasah. Keyword: RPJP, SDGs, Maqoshid Syari’ah

Experiencing Grace: A Thematic Network Analysis of Person-Level Narratives

AbstractThe aim of the present study is to clarify the lay experience of grace through person-level narratives. This empirical qualitative study follows a bottom-up approach, not restricted by specific theoretical assumptions, and includes a large and heterogeneous group of Belgian participants. The sample (recruited online) was composed of 456 participants (64% women, mean age = 50.04, age range from 18 to 93 years). Data consisted of 456 written narratives describing the experience of grace. They were analysed using a thematic analysis and thematic network approach with the help of a qualitative data management package Nvivo 12 pro. The resulting thematic network visualizes the experience of grace in the flow of time with (a) antecedents, grace can happen anywhere and anytime, but difficulties often precede grace; (b) the core experience is one of receiving an unmerited free gift in response to failure or brokenness or as an encounter with goodness and beauty, and this can be given by the divine or by other people and lastly (c) consequences entails a transformation at the intrapersonal, interpersonal and/or situational level. Our approach allows for an ecological and bottom-up understanding of grace as experienced nowadays in a secularized country and can empirically inform future studies about the connection between grace and psychological flourishing.

Teachers’ Conceptions about the Origin of Humans in the Context of Three Latin American Countries with Different Forms and Degrees of Secularism

In comparison to teachers from Argentina and Uruguay, Brazilian teachers face greater difficulties in teaching biological evolution, due to religion. While Argentina has an official religion set in its constitution, Uruguay and Brazil are considered secular countries. Despite being a self-proclaimed secular country, Brazil tolerates and encourages religious teaching in public schools. Acceptance of the natural origin of mankind, of origin of life, and of biological evolution were investigated in all three countries through interviews and a survey of teachers. Barbour’s categories of conflict, independence, dialogue, and integration were used in the analysis of responses. Argentinian and Uruguayan teachers’ answers pointed to Barbour’s category of independence between science and religion, while Brazilian teachers’ answers ranged between the categories of conflict and a merging between integration and dialogue, which was reinforced by high religiosity linked to knowledge gaps. The religious beliefs of Brazilian teachers appeared to influence their answers about the origin of the human species. In Brazil, religion was frequently identified as an obstacle to the teaching of biological evolution, while responses varied in Argentina and Uruguay. Conflicts in classrooms were also reported more frequently in Brazil than in Argentina and Uruguay. Combined with poor teacher training, personal internal conflicts towards biological evolution help to explain the answers of the Brazilian teachers. Argentinian and Uruguayan teachers generally reported being able to teach biological evolution as part of the curricula without interference from religion, in contrast to approximately half of the Brazilian teachers reporting the same.

Spirituality, Religious Attendance and Health Complaints in Czech Adolescents

Research in some religious countries shows that religiosity and spirituality positively affect adolescent health. We studied whether religiosity and spirituality also have positive associations with adolescent health in a secular country. We tested the associations between religious attendance and spirituality and self-reported health and health complaints using a representative sample of Czech adolescents (n = 4182, 14.4 ± 1.1 years, 48.6% boys) from the 2014 health behavior in school-aged children (HBSC) study. We used religious attendance, the adjusted shortened version of the spiritual well-being scale (SWBS), and its two components—religious well-being (RWB) and existential well-being (EWB)—as independent variables and the eight item “HBSC symptom checklist” and self-reported overall health as dependent variables. A higher level of spirituality was associated with lower chances of health complaints and self-reported health, ranging from a 9% to 30% decrease in odd ratios (OR). Religious attendance was not associated with any of the observed variables. The EWB showed a negative association with all of the observed variables, with associations ranging from a 19% to 47% decrease. The RWB was associated with a higher risk of nervousness (OR = 1.12), while other associations were not significant. Non-spiritual but attending respondents were more likely to report a higher occurrence of stomachache (OR = 2.20) and had significantly worse overall health (OR = 2.38). In a largely secular country, we found that spirituality and the EWB (unlike religious attendance and the RWB) could have a significant influence on adolescent health.

Feminism and Conservatism in México

Mexico is usually described as a secular country with a Catholic following that remains above the regional average. In this context, a strong presence of feminist institutional activism and a relatively weak performance of Evangelical religious conservative activism have developed (Pérez Guadalupe 2017). This essay reviews these usual descriptions in order to adjust this image, undertaking the task of avoiding both overestimating and underestimating the scope of these activisms. The essay also identifies emerging challenges for research on politics and gender in Mexico and Latin America more generally.

Relasi Kelisanan Al-Qur’an dan Pancasila Dalam Upaya Menjaga dan Mengembangkan Identitas Islam Indonesia

<em>Yudian Wahyudi voiced his idea that Indonesia (read: Pancasila) is a religious and secular country simultaneously. The idea arose because many said Indonesia was a secular country, on the other hand, it was also mentioned that Indonesia was a religious country. It is said as a secular country because Indonesia has a lot of 'oriented' to the West. While referred to as a religious country because it has the majority Muslim population in the world. This paper will explain the position of the Pancasila as the way of life of the Indonesian people, associated with the Qur'an which is a way of life for Muslims. In this context, al-Qur'an will be explained as the realm of its orality, as is the identity of the Qur'an delivered verbally: from Allah, the Angel Gabriel, the Prophet Muhammad to the Arab community (audience). In this case, reading the oral side of the Koran, through the theory of Orality from Walter J. Ong, will be important if it is realized that there are distinct characteristics for oral delivery, one of which is the context that was born in the oral demands of the present, that is, when the Qur'an is delivered verbally, then the solution-problem or message delivered is based on the current context. At this point, Pancasila is present on Indonesian soil to answer problems and give messages that are also based on the Indonesian context. Also, through the integration of general knowledge in understanding and applying the values of Pancasila and the beauty of the Qur'an, it will give birth to a national and religious attitude that always responds to the development of the times appropriately. Both of these life guidelines maintain Indonesia's existing identity - which is good and advance the life of the nation and state. </em>

ОБЩЕСТВЕННО-ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИЕ ПРАКТИКИ КОРРЕКТИРОВКИ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННО-КОНФЕССИОНАЛЬНЫХ ОТНОШЕНИЙ В РОССИИ НА РУБЕЖЕ ХХ–ХХI вв.

The article analyzes the public desire to adjust the state-religion relations at the turn of the 21st century. It has been provoked by the fact that Russia is still looking for its own model of relations alongside with the development of traditional religiosity. The aim of the study is to identify the forms of social and political practices aimed at changing the state-religion relations existing in the past. The study reflects the results of the periodical press analysis. Lots of periodicals covered social and political discussions of the issue: draft laws and research works within historical, neo-institutional, and comparative approaches. The author identifies significant institutional changes that triggered social and political practices related to SRR at the turn of the 21st century. Special federal and regional agencies responsible for religious policy appeared within the governmental system. The creation of the Interfaith Council of Russia as well as the adoption and publication by the leading religious organizations of their social and political doctrines also fell within the tendency. Social and political practices were unfolding within the two main trends: (1) Russia is a secular country, and the state should consider secularism as a strategy of its religious policy; (2) the crisis typical of the period triggered the search for additional resources and governmental mechanisms. There were disagreements in the public opinion. Some people were actively trying to save and protect the former relations that meant the exclusion of the state from the religious sphere regulation (separation SRR model). Others were proponents of the new cooperation SRR model, but its content was interpreted in different ways. The crisis contributed much to social and political practices which approached the traditional religions problem as one of the options for finding mechanisms to restore control over the country and solve social and spiritual problems. The traditional religions problem became a social and political one. This fact stirred the religious world up and in fact split it apart. The State Duma was one of the bodies involved in state-religion relations. At the turn of the 21st century, its Committee on Public and Religious Organizations was actively promoting the idea of traditional religions. Those who supported the idea to include the concept “traditional religion” into the political and legal frameworks were trying to implement it in their lawmaking practice. They came out with several bills. The most debatable of them were the ones named after their authors (Shandybin’s bill, Chuyev’s bill, Glazyev’s bill, etc.). There were also drafts of the Religious Policy Concept. The study describes unsuccessful attempts (by bills and SRR concept drafts) to turn traditional religiosity into a normative element of Russian social and political frameworks. It was a big challenge for the state and the public.

SEKÜLER BİR TOPLUMDA DUA

Social scientific studies from the secular Netherlands has pointed out that religious rituals such as praying are still widely present. This study examines the content of the praying practices of the Dutch and distinguishes varieties of prayer by analyzing answers to open-ended questions of a representative Dutch survey (N=1.008). It is concluded, first, that a majority of the Dutch prays. Second, four varieties of prayer are distinguished: petitionary, religious, meditative, and impulsive prayer. Comparing these varieties with types of prayer found in other empirical studies, it emerges that the petitionary and religious prayer are similar to classical prayers found in other studies from less secularized countries, whereas the meditative and impulsive prayers are fundamentally different from other prayer types and can be considered as examples of a praying practice in a secularized society.

Patterns of Religiosity, Death Anxiety, and Hope in a Population of Community-Dwelling Palliative Care Patients in New Zealand-What Gives Hope If Religion Can't?

This study examines the prevalence of religiosity, death anxiety, and hope in a sample of New Zealand community hospice patients in the last 6 months of life. It explores the factors triggering distress or hope and examines whether religiosity is protective against death anxiety for this population. Early studies showed religious faith helps relieve death anxiety, but later work suggests this may only be the case in societies which are generally religious. Very little research has been conducted on this topic in New Zealand, from which recent censuses indicate is an increasingly secular country. If religion is not an important source of hope for dying, it is important to explore what factors do help relieve existential anxiety and to consider their clinical relevance. This study confirmed that organized religion was not a major support factor. Yet several people who declared themselves nonreligious scored highly for intrinsic religiosity and were among the most hopeful participants. This could suggest that spirituality may be more relevant than organized religion in relieving existential distress. The main source of hope for most participants was joyful memories and meaningful relationships. Fear of being a burden and of causing family suffering were the most significant causes of distress. Systematic spiritual assessment for all patients, not just those with a declared religious faith, a biography service, and psychotherapy, may all have a role in managing death anxiety at the end of life. Further work with larger and more diverse populations would be needed to confirm these findings.

Keeping kosher or not keeping kosher in contemporary Denmark


 
 
 
 The Hebrew term kosher means ‘fit’ or ‘proper’ and it traditionally signifies foods that conform to Jewish dietary law (kashrut). This article explores how kosher is understood, practised and contested in contemporary Denmark. In recent years, the rules regulating kosher consumption have been supplemented by elaborate rules concerning globalised mass production, which have had an impact on the way people handle questions of kashrut. During the same period, global markets for kosher have proliferated; this article explores the everyday kosher consumption among Jews in Denmark in the light of these transformations. Everyday kosher consumption among a minority group such as Jews in Denmark is not well understood, and I argue that globalised forms of regulation increasingly condition this type of consumption. Even though Denmark is a small and relatively secular country and Jews comprise only about 7,000 individuals, kosher production and regulation have national economic significance. Methodologically, I build on ethnographic data from contemporary Denmark, that is, participant observation and interviews.
 
 
 

“Fragment of What Will Happen”

Abstract The Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer (1931–2015), winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature, is known for the perceptive metaphors in his poems “couched in deceptively spare language, crystalline descriptions of natural beauty and explorations of the mysteries of identity and creativity.” Although Tranströmer himself never made a secret of the religious tendency in his work, there is some discussion about the importance of the religious dimension in his poems, which are widely acclaimed in Sweden, a predominately secular country. This article discusses several discourses exploring the religious dimensions of Tranströmer’s poetry, and presents a new approach for understanding the religious and spiritual aspects of his art based on the work of philosopher of religion John D. Caputo. Caputo’s “hauntology” is claimed to be conducive in reading Tranströmer’s poetry as a religious text. A “hauntological” reading of the poetry of Tranströmer interprets the event that is haunting the poems, and suggests a new way of conceiving a religious insight in a work of modern art.

Solidarity in Diversity? State Responses to Religious Diversity in Liberal and Non-Liberal Perspectives

AbstractThis Article introduces the German Law Journal’s Special Issue on “Solidarity in Diversity? State Responses to Religious Diversity in Liberal and Non-Liberal Perspectives”. The major countries in comparative focus are Germany and Singapore, both self-avowedly secular countries that face the challenge of religious diversity: Singapore, from inception, and Germany, through more recent developments. A key issue the Article raises concerns liberal approaches towards regulating religion; it argues that the liberal model, taking Germany as an example, may serve as a productive starting point for comparative analysis, as the liberal focus on individual religious freedom impacts managing religious diversity, shapes national cultural identity, models of secularism and social solidarity. This is compared with non-liberal approaches, as exemplified in Singapore practice, where a more communitarian outlook underpin more interventionist approaches whereby public interests and the common good tend to be prioritized over individual freedom. The comparative angles offered in this Special Issue is furthermore buttressed in several articles in this Special Issue that make comparisons to other jurisdictions-United States and Canada. This introductory Article offers a brief overview to the various contributions to this Special Issue and identifies unifying themes.

How Korean Psychiatric Staff Deal with Religious and Spiritual Issues of Patients: What Is Professional?

In contrast to other secularized countries, religious and spiritual needs and/or aspects of patient-centred-care are hardly studied in South Korea, even less in the context of psychiatry and psychotherapies. This study investigates religious and spiritual values of Korean psychiatric staff, and their experiences as well as considerations regarding their patients’ religious and spiritual aspects in clinical settings. In 2015, we surveyed psychiatric staff in Daegu and suburban areas using Korean versions of the Duke Religion Index and a questionnaire on Religion and Spirituality in Medicine: Physicians’ Perspectives by F. Curlin. Six clinics participated in our research. A total of 328 questionnaires were distributed. Ultimately, 270 fully completed questionnaires were analysed (return rate: 82.3%). Regarding religious and spiritual values, Korean psychiatric staff does not differ considerably from the average of the Korean population. However, there are significant moderate correlations between their own religious and spiritual attitudes, and their consideration as well as behaviors related to religious and spiritual aspects of their patients. In addition, there is evidence of an unconscious bias which influences treatment. These results call for more professional attention and self-reflective training.

Are Adolescent Religious Attendance/Spirituality Associated with Family Characteristics?

The family environment is associated with religiosity and spirituality as well as many aspects of adolescent lives, including their health behaviour. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess family environment associations with adolescent religious attendance (RA), i.e., weekly participation in religious services, and spirituality in a highly secular country. A nationally representative sample (n = 4182, 14.4 ± 1.1 years, 48.6% boys) of Czech adolescents participated in the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children cross-sectional study. RA, spirituality and the family environment, i.e., family communication, perceived emotional support, and parental monitoring, were measured. Higher adolescent RA was associated with lower self-reported easiness of communication with mother (odds ratio (OR) = 0.68; 99% confidence interval (99% CI) = 0.47–0.99; p < 0.01). In contrast, spiritual respondents were more likely to report both easier communication with their father (OR per standard deviation (SD) change = 1.12, 99% CI 1.02–1.23; p < 0.01) and mother (OR per SD change = 1.38 (1.23–1.55); p < 0.001) and higher perceived emotional support (OR per SD change = 1.73 (1.55–1.92); p < 0.001). Parents of respondents who attended religious services at least once a week, as well as parents of spiritual respondents, were generally more likely to monitor adolescent behaviour. Thus, this study provides information for parents, mental health workers, and pastoral carers. Further research should assess the association of a lower easiness of family communication with dissonances in adolescent–parent religiosity/spirituality and with higher parental monitoring.

MODEL EDUKACJI RELIGIJNEJ W REPUBLICE ESTONII

Estonia jest przykładem państwa, które wprowadziło model niewyznaniowej fakultatywnej formy nauczania religii w szkołach. Uregulowanie tej kwestii ma istotne znaczenie z punktu widzenia relacji państwo – Kościół. Konstytucja Estonii sankcjonuje brak istnienia Kościoła państwowego, a także gwarantuje równy status prawny Kościołom i związkom wyznaniowym. Nauczaniu religii w szkole nie poświęcono uwagi w ustawie zasadniczej. Również w aktach niższego rzędu kwestia ta została potraktowana lakonicznie. W 2010 r. wprowadzono jednak istotną nowelizację obowiązującego prawodawstwa. Ujednolicono program nauczania dla przedmiotu, który odtąd stanowi wytyczne obowiązujące dla wszystkich szkół. Estonia jest uznawana za kraj silnie zlaicyzowany. Wpływ na to miały doświadczenia historyczne, które warunkują stosunek Estończyków wychowania religijnego. Jego rola jest marginalizowana w systemie nauczania, a równocześnie wzbudza liczne kontrowersje.

Approaching the religious psychiatric patient in a secular country: Does “subalternalizing” religious patients mean they do not exist?

This article presents the findings of an empirical research project on how psychiatrists in a secular country (Denmark) approach the religious patients, and how the individual worldview of the psychiatrist influences this approach. The study is based on 22 interviews with certified psychiatrists or physicians in psychiatric residency. The article presents the theoretical and methodical grounding and introduces the analytical construct “subalternalizing,” derived from subaltern studies. “Subalternalizing” designates a process where a trait in one worldview (patient) is marginalized as a consequence of another worldview’s (psychiatrist) “disinterest.” The analysis located four categories: (a) religion as a negative part of the patient story, (b) religion as a positive part of the patient story, (c) religion in relation to radicalization, and (d) there are no religious patients. The discussion shows that the approach is influenced by the psychiatrist worldview. Examples of “subalternalizing” are given and how this excludes “positive religious coping” and “existential and spiritual care” from treatment.