This thesis addresses a major trend (what might be termed a “post-Buddhism”) within contemporary Western Buddhist thinking, and hence practice, emphasising the epistemic, existential and ethical autonomy of self as it engages with the Asian Buddhist traditions. Aligning its enquiry with a corresponding hermeneutic of the Buddha‘s biography in his “second renunciation” (his social-psychological and praxiological relinquishment of the structures of religious authority) it focuses on the work of contemporary Western dharma teachers Stephen Batchelor, David Loy and Alan Clements. Their respective emphases of agnostic doubt, ontological groundlessness, and existential-ethical autonomy are investigated in turn, alongside a corresponding reading of the Buddha‘s praxis prior to his enlightenment. Of interest to academic Buddhist Studies, this analysis introduces potential re-theorisations of the meta-epistemic nature of Buddhist praxis and the phenomenology of self and Buddhist ‘non-self’ as it/they engage with both Buddhist and Derridean deconstructive (contemplative and intellectual) praxis. It also considers a re-contextualisation of Buddhist ethics as it is influenced by the deconstructive and ethical strategies of Derrida and Levinas, as well as a (native but under-explored) Buddhist ‘ethics of non-duality.’ (All of these themes might be seen as more or less implicit also in the work of Western Buddhist theorists such as Roger Jackson, John Makransky, José Ignacio Cabezón, Alan B. Wallace, John Pickering and so on, and their deconstructionist counterparts in John Caputo, Robert Magliola, Steven Laycock, Carl Olson and others.) The thesis concludes with a general theorisation of the newly-inflected models of Buddhist enlightenment, praxiology and ethical engagement that necessarily emerge from such a shift of emphasis: a post-secular, non-hierarchical trans-religious culture of self-determination both within and without tradition. The Buddha‘s enlightenment itself emerges as a heterogeneous culture of human freedoms rather than a form of univocal religious transcendence. Similarly, Batchelor, Loy and Clements’ concerns around authenticity can be seen as productive elements of an evolving model of Buddhism within Western culture: one that in paradoxically grounding itself in ‘groundlessness,’ returns to the meta-religious roots of Gotama Buddha‘s own socio-historic transformation of the (religious and other) conditions of his time. Such a transformation becomes characterised by a greater attention to the contingencies of the unique self and its environment, knowledge-acquisition and its constructed character, justice and ethical ambiguity, and the indeterminacy of normative religious claims.

This thesis addresses a major trend (what might be termed a “post-Buddhism”) within contemporary Western Buddhist thinking, and hence practice, emphasising the epistemic, existential and ethical autonomy of self as it engages with the Asian Buddhist traditions. Aligning its enquiry with a corresponding hermeneutic of the Buddha‘s biography in his “second renunciation” (his social-psychological and praxiological relinquishment of the structures of religious authority) it focuses on the work of contemporary Western dharma teachers Stephen Batchelor, David Loy and Alan Clements. Their respective emphases of agnostic doubt, ontological groundlessness, and existential-ethical autonomy are investigated in turn, alongside a corresponding reading of the Buddha‘s praxis prior to his enlightenment. Of interest to academic Buddhist Studies, this analysis introduces potential re-theorisations of the meta-epistemic nature of Buddhist praxis and the phenomenology of self and Buddhist ‘non-self’ as it/they engage with both Buddhist and Derridean deconstructive (contemplative and intellectual) praxis. It also considers a re-contextualisation of Buddhist ethics as it is influenced by the deconstructive and ethical strategies of Derrida and Levinas, as well as a (native but under-explored) Buddhist ‘ethics of non-duality.’ (All of these themes might be seen as more or less implicit also in the work of Western Buddhist theorists such as Roger Jackson, John Makransky, José Ignacio Cabezón, Alan B. Wallace, John Pickering and so on, and their deconstructionist counterparts in John Caputo, Robert Magliola, Steven Laycock, Carl Olson and others.) The thesis concludes with a general theorisation of the newly-inflected models of Buddhist enlightenment, praxiology and ethical engagement that necessarily emerge from such a shift of emphasis: a post-secular, non-hierarchical trans-religious culture of self-determination both within and without tradition. The Buddha‘s enlightenment itself emerges as a heterogeneous culture of human freedoms rather than a form of univocal religious transcendence. Similarly, Batchelor, Loy and Clements’ concerns around authenticity can be seen as productive elements of an evolving model of Buddhism within Western culture: one that in paradoxically grounding itself in ‘groundlessness,’ returns to the meta-religious roots of Gotama Buddha‘s own socio-historic transformation of the (religious and other) conditions of his time. Such a transformation becomes characterised by a greater attention to the contingencies of the unique self and its environment, knowledge-acquisition and its constructed character, justice and ethical ambiguity, and the indeterminacy of normative religious claims.

Esta pesquisa traz reflexões educacionais e teológicas desenvolvidas em uma escola agrícola do interior da Bahia. A presença das religiões na EMARC de Valença é o foco do trabalho. Naturalmente o assunto não se esgota aqui devido a sua complexidade e por trabalhar duas categorias importantes: educação e religião. Entretanto, fica nossa contribuição para o estado da arte, como um germe, uma provocação para outros estudos sobre a temática. Ao tempo em que executamos o referido, as discussões sobre a exibição de símbolos religiosos em espaços públicos vêm ocupando a mídia, a justiça e as academias brasileiras, sendo objeto de encontro, mesa redonda e congresso específico sobre a questão da laicidade do Estado, religião civil e teologia. Esses aspectos foram abordados durante a pesquisa. O relatório de pesquisa foi construído em três capítulos intitulados: 1. Conhecendo o povo, o local e a escola, 2. Apple: uma análise crítica da educação e 3. Religião, Estado e educação. No primeiro capítulo, foi caracterizado o objeto de pesquisa, suas idiossincrasias e história do povo que habita a região. O segundo capítulo foi dedicado a abordar os teóricos que sustentam o trabalho. No terceiro e último capítulo, apresentamos os resultados da pesquisa e as análises subjacentes a eles. / This research presentes educational and theological reflections developed in an rural school on the countryside of Bahia state. The presence of religions in the EMARC of Valença is the focus of this study. Naturally, the issue is not being exhausted here due to its complexity and two important categories: education and religion. However, here is our contribution towards the state of the art, like a seed, a provocation for other studies on the issue. As we carry out this study, the discussion on the exhibition of religious symbols in public spaces is occupying the media, the courts and Brazilian universities, being a subject for meetings, roundtables and specific congresses on the question of the secularity of the State, civil religion and theology. These aspects were dealt with during the present research. The research report was constructed in three chapters, under the following titles: (1) Getting to Know the People, the place and the school; (2) Apple: a critical analysis of education, and (3) Religion, State and Education. In the first chapter was characterized the object of research, its idiosyncrasies and the history of the people who live in the region. The second chapter was devoted to deal with the theoretical underpinning the work. In the third and last one, we present results and analyses underlying them.

The purpose of this paper is to examine home-schooling for religious reasons in Stockholm’s municipality. The study was conducted by interviewing actors in Educational board in Stockholm’s municipality and families leaving Stockholm for home-schooling due to religious reasons. By doing so, the paper aims to find how the members of Educational board and the families interpret the home-schooling law, their view on home-schooling for religious reasons and to examine how the answers relate to the theoretical state-religion perspectives. The main research questions investigated are: 1. How is the law of home-schooling interpreted by Education board in Stockholm’s municipality and how does this interpretation vary from that of families’ who home-school for religious reasons? 2. How do the members of Education board in Stockholm’s municipality and the families home-schooling for religious reasons view home-schooling for religious reasons? 2.1 What theoretical perspectives on state-religion relationship can be found in the answers of the two groups? The method used to answer these questions was a dimensional analysis model for empirical interview-data. The aim of the dimensional model was to present and analyse empirical data to answer the research questions. From the families’ answers, it was concluded that that there is a clear tendency in answers in all the following dimensions: law-interpretation, view on home-schooling, and perspectives on state-religion relations. The same tendency was found in the answers of the members from Educational board on the law and home-schooling meaning questions (research questions 1. and 2.), but not on state-religion relation question (research question 2.1).

Religionens synlighet i en global värld och krav på politiskt inflytande är föremål för debatt och forskning. Ett av forskningsfälten är revideringen av sekulariseringsteorin som öppnat för en avprivatisering av religionen i det civila samhället, där den kan utgöra en motkraft mot totalitära rörelser, kritik av kapitalismen avigsidor som konsumism och en fördjupad diskussion om existentiella frågor. I Sverige är Joel Halldorf - liberal krönikör, akademisk forskare och kristen – en förespråkare för postsekultärt förhållningssätt till den religiösa diversifieringen med grund i migrationen. Undersökningen inriktas på hur Halldorf utifrån sina olika roller argumenterar för religionen ökade inflytande i samhället. En grund för Halldorfs argumentation är en funktionell religionsdefinition som låter Halldorf betona religionernas förmåga att till gemenskap och organisation i föreningar. Halldorfs tankar har mött motstånd från delar av den liberala pressen varför detta motstånd kommer att korreleras mot Halldorfs olika roller i den här uppsatsen. / The visibility of religion in a global world and demands for political influence are subject to debate and research. One of the fields of research is the revision of the theory of secularism which has opened to the de-privatization of religion in civil society, where it can constitute a counterforce against totalitarian movements, criticism of capitalism downsides to consumerism and an in-depth discussion of existential issues. In Sweden, Joel Halldorf - Liberal columnist, academic scientist and Christian - is an advocate of post-secularistic approach to religious diversification based on migration. The survey focuses on how Halldorf based on his different roles argue for religion increased influence in society. A basis for Halldorf's argumentation is a functional definition of religion that allows Halldorf to emphasize the ability of religions to fellowship and organization in associations. Halldorf's thoughts have met resistance from parts of the liberal press why this resistance will be correlated to Halldorf's different roles.

In this paper, we show how this plural legal landscape is negotiated by litigants, especially women, and thereby illustrate the procedural interplay between civil and religious courts through this adjudication process. The ethnography of adjudication at the Darul-Qaza situated in a large Muslim neighbourhood in Kanpur and the institution’s intersections with the societal (We mean the tribunals that function at the neighbourhood or community level) secular courts show how Muslim personal law functions. In this paper, we identify both the links between the Darul-Qaza and civil courts, and the processes of evidence making and legal reasoning that are integral to this interlegality. We argue that the issue of personal law should be understood within the post-colonial legal structure of India and with a good understanding of the processes through which disputes in the delicate area of family, affect and kinship are addressed and resolved. The above case shows how resolution occurs in a family dispute when plural institutional mechanisms are at work. This paper explores the adjudication process at a Darul-Qaza to understand how religion-based family laws get constituted as litigants seek both religious counsel and civil authority.

Säkularismus ist in Indien spätestens seit den Assembly Debates Ende der 1940er Jahre ein Schlüsselbegriff in öffentlichen Debatten und ein zentraler Wert der Verfassung und der nationalen Identität. Als Gegenkonzept zu Kommunalismus, insbesondere Hindunationalismus, und Gewalt wird Säkularismus in Indien vorrangig als Toleranz und equal respect for all religions konzipiert. Die akademische Debatte über Säkularismus erscheint in Indien ausgesprochen normativ, emotional und politisiert. In der von mir untersuchten Kontroverse, die um die Frage kreist, inwieweit es sich bei der Kategorie Säkularismus um ein hegemoniales, westliches Konzept oder eine indigene Tradition handele, stehen sich zwei Lager oder „Clans“ gegenüber. Während die postkolonialistischen Säkularismus-Kritiker T.N. Madan und Ashis Nandy diese in ihren Augen fremde, imperiale Kategorie ablehnen und Säkularismus in Indien als gescheitert betrachten, unternehmen die Säkularismus-Befürworter Rajeev Bhargava und Romila Thapar den Versuch, säkulare Wurzeln in der indischen Tradition zu rekonstruieren und Säkularismus damit in Indien anschlussfähig zu machen. Interessanterweise beziehen sich alle vier Wissenschaftler in ihren Texten auf die tolerante Religionspolitik des Maurya-Königs Ashoka (3. Jh. v. Chr.) und des Mogulherrschers Akbar (16. Jh. n. Christus). Während Bhargava und Thapar darin eine Art Proto-Säkularismus sehen, geht es Nandy und Madan darum, die indische Toleranztradition von der Vorherrschaft der Säkularismuskategorie zu befreien. Ihnen schwebt eine tolerante „ghandianische“ Staatspolitik vor, die nicht unter dem Label Säkularismus läuft, sondern auf alten, indischen Traditionen und der gelebten, auf Religion basierenden Toleranz des Volkes gründet. Alle vier Wissenschaftler bekennen sich in ihren Texten über den Säkularismus explizit zu ihren politischen Positionen und verstehen sich gleichzeitig als Wissenschaftler und Aktivisten. Beide Lager, sowohl Madan und Nandy, als auch Thapar und Bhargava, engagieren und echauffieren sich in der Kontroverse über Säkularismus und die Anwendbarkeit dieses Konzepts im indischen Kontext in einem bemerkenswerten Ausmaß. Ziel meiner Arbeit ist es, Antworten auf die Frage zu finden, weshalb die untersuchte Debatte so hochgradig emotional ausfällt und was die Wissenschaftler antreibt, so leidenschaftlich am Säkularismus festzuhalten oder diese Kategorie genauso vehement abzulehnen.

Diese Schriftenreihe dokumentiert die Forschungsergebnisse des Humanities Centre for Advanced Studies 'Multiple Secularities - Beyond the West, Beyond Modernities' (Kolleg-Forschergruppe KFG).

For the last few decades, sociological debates about religion and secularisation have been characterised by confrontation between (often American) critics and (mostly European) defenders of secularisation theories. There has also been a remarkable rise in academic and public debates about the role of secularism in political regimes and in national as well as civilisational frameworks. These debates are shaped by the context of the changing position of the West in world politics, Islamist terror and the war on terror, struggles of religious minorities for recognition and influence, and the concomitant negotiations over the place of religion in the public sphere, as well as the emergence of post-national citizenship. Contributions from political theory, social anthropology and religious studies that emerged from this context have enriched the debate, but also contributed to fragmenting existing theories on the relationship between religion and modernity. Whereas scholars previously aimed to develop ‘general theories’ of secularisation that included deviations from the general model, newer approaches tend to highlight the specificity of Western European developments as opposed to those in the rest of the world, and sometimes even highlight their incomparability.

The project seeks to explore the boundaries that distinguish between the religious and non-religious, in modern as well as pre-modern societies. In doing so, we are aligning ourselves with current debates but we are approaching the debated issues from a basic theoretical perspective. At present, a general distinction can be drawn between three narratives: The first claims the dwindling presence and relevance of religion (“secularisation”); the second regards religion to be returning globally, consequently irritating the self-perception of modern societies (“return of religions”, “post-secular society”). According to the third, religion has always been present and has simply changed shape, meaning secularisation assumptions are misleading (“invisible religion”). There is also a theoretical-methodological conflict to be taken into consideration. Where the secularisation hypothesis considers its theories and methods to be universally applicable, the critics of this theory not only increasingly challenge the transferability of Western development paths, but also the transferability of the concepts used. This applies right down to the challenge of the religious/secular dual, which is understood to be an expression of Western experience and power of interpretation that forces other cultures into Western schematisations. In contrast, we are formulating an alternative position, in which we are trying to explore the boundaries between the religious and non-religious beyond normative concepts. We are particularly seeking such boundaries in regions that differ greatly from the so-called “West” in the “Modern World” in terms of culture and history: In various Asian regions and – partly overlapping with these – in the so-called “Islamic World”, but also in different epochs. This is linked to a plea for comparability across multifaceted regions and cultural contexts, and for investigating their entangled history.