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Intensified Religious Pluralism and De-differentiation: the British Example
1Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University, County South, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ UK.
Society
|February 13, 2016
Summary
This study introduces a third type of pluralism, termed de-differentiation, to explain contemporary religion and identity. This intensified pluralism helps understand the rise of the "nones" and declining religious affiliation across generations.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Religion
- Cultural Studies
Background:
- Peter Berger's established paradigm of two pluralisms.
- Contemporary shifts in religious and secular identities.
- Increasing prevalence of individuals identifying as
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a supplementary framework to Berger's paradigm.
- To introduce and define a third type of pluralism: de-differentiation.
- To explain contemporary religious and secular identity trends.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of surveys on religion and values in Great Britain.
- Theoretical framework development building on existing sociological models.
Main Results:
- Identified a third kind of intensified pluralism characterized by de-differentiation.
- Demonstrated how this concept explains the breakdown of boundaries between religious and secular spheres.
- Linked de-differentiation to the rise of the
Conclusions:
- The concept of de-differentiation offers a valuable supplement to understanding religious pluralism.
- This framework helps explain the fluidity and rejection of traditional religious and secular labels.
- Future research can explore the implications of de-differentiation for identity formation in diverse societies.
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