THE SECULARISM AND RELIGION
AUTHOR : RAJRATAN MADHUKAR BHOKARE
1. What is Indian secularism and what is it for?
BHARGAVA (2002) notion that the Indian state pursued a secularism marked by privatizing religion from public and political spheres in a non-preferential manner, as advocated by Madan, Nandy, and Chatterjee. Instead, it contends that India’s secularism recognizes community-based rights, allowing religious institutions to be maintained and administered by their respective communities, without seeking to dismantle them entirely. While the constitution leans towards liberalizing religious groups, it does not aim to dissolve them. The Indian state, from its inception, embraced a principled distance rather than an equidistant non-interventionist stance, operating with a sophisticated neutrality toward both individuals and religious communities, without enforcing a strict wall of separation. Thus, Indian secularism has always allowed for a permeable wall between religion and the state, rather than privatizing religion entirely.
2. Religion , secularism and the Nation
VAN DER VEER (2008) state that the comparative analysis between India and China highlights significant differences in their approaches towards religion, development, and resistance to Western imperialism. While both nations aimed for liberation from imperial powers, they diverged in their views on religion. China viewed religion as a barrier to progress, seeking to control or eradicate it, whereas India saw it as intrinsic to national culture, serving as a source of resistance and pride against British colonization. Despite similar historical roots, secularism and religious attitudes in modern India and China have evolved in opposite directions. The author underscores the importance of fostering dialogue between young scholars from both countries to address central societal issues.
3. Responding to fundamentalism: Secularism or Humble Faith?
MILLER (2017) conclude that the distinction between religion and fundamentalism is crucial, as fundamentalisms represent extreme cases within religious expressions, challenging the tolerance of such expressions in academia and workplaces. While some advocate for secularism in response to perceived irrationality, others propose post-secularism, promoting openness to religious expression in scholarship and organizations. This shift would necessitate learning faith-informed approaches like reflective believing, integrating faith into management research and practice through interfaith dialogue and innovative pedagogies. Courage and humility are essential in expressing religious convictions while remaining open to differing perspectives, fostering productive interfaith dialogue and shared discoveries within the field of management.
4. Liberal, Secularism and Religious Freedom in the Public Space: Reforming Political Discourse
DEAGON (2018) state that citizens should be obligated to sincerely pursue a widely convincing secular rationale for their preferred coercive laws, but they are not obligated to support laws lacking such rationale, allowing for the public expression of religious reasons in policy debates. Instead of advocating for public reason that excludes religious perspectives, Eberle proposes an “ideal of conscientious engagement” where individuals arrive at rationally justifiable views, including reference to religious reasons, and engage respectfully with differing viewpoints. This approach fosters a pluralist society where diverse religious and non-religious perspectives can coexist, promoting religious vitality and freedom. McGraw similarly contends that religious involvement in politics enhances freedom and democracy. These arguments aim to suggest that secular liberalism’s narrow view of religious freedom, which restricts public expression of religion, is not ideal for achieving a neutral, free, and equal society; instead, a broader view of religious freedom within a pluralist framework facilitates more authentic political discourse and inclusivity.
5. Secularism, Islamism, Emblemata: The Visual Discourse of Progress in Turkey.
ERSAN (2007) said that since Turkey’s shift towards parliamentary democracy in 1950, its political landscape has been characterized by an ambiguous economy intertwined with ideological struggles. Initially, the right-wing Demokrats aimed to project Turkey as a modern Western democratic nation, mobilizing rural support to consolidate power. They resisted social change, aligning with fundamentalists who advocated for piety as a means to prosperity, while selectively borrowing from the West. However, this approach led to industrial failures, population growth, rural exodus, and economic instability. Over time, the fusion of tradition and technology became more pronounced, culminating in the political Islamist symbol of the mosque-mall and observation deck, emblematic of urban chaos, real estate speculation, and consumerism under the guise of religious legitimacy, perpetuated by the discourse of “Islamic conquest.”
6. Outwitting the Developed Countries? Existential Insecurity and the Global Resurgence of Religion
THOMAS (2007) state that the notion of fundamentalism as the sole representation of religious resurgence, arguing instead for a broader understanding of the global resurgence of religion. It critiques the modernizing mythology that predicts the decline of religion with economic development, asserting that serious religiosity is not synonymous with fanaticism. Through case studies, it illustrates how religion can empower and transform communities, challenging Western-centric views on security and religion. The article emphasizes that religion is not declining but rather restructuring and adapting to the global era, showcasing non-Western ways of being religious and modern in the 21st century, ultimately advocating for a more holistic understanding of religion’s role in international affairs.
7. The Church Versus the Mall: What Happens When Religion Faces Increased Secular Competition?
GRUBER AND HUNGERMANT (2008) their findings underscore the significant impact of secular competition on religious behavior, particularly evident through the marked decline in religious attendance and contributions following the repeal of blue laws. This supports economic models of religiosity, notably emphasized by Iannaccone (1998), which argue that religious participation is influenced by factors like the opportunity cost of attending religious services. The study contributes to an expanding empirical literature demonstrating the interplay between economic decisions and the religious sector, as evidenced by research from Chen (2005), Hungerman (2005, 2007), and Gruber and Hungerman (2007). Additionally, it highlights how competitive forces, both secular and religious, vie for individuals’ temporal and monetary resources, shaping patterns of religious engagement.
8. Language, religion, and identity: Hindi and Urdu in colonial and post-colonial India
RANJAN (2022) conclude the historical and contemporary differences between Hindi and Urdu, tracing their roots to the rise of competitive communal politics during British India. This period saw the emergence of Hindi as associated with Hinduism and Sanskritization, while Urdu was portrayed as foreign. Efforts to unite through Hindustani failed, leading to continued linguistic divisions. Post-colonial attempts to impose Hindi by Hindu nationalists have faced strong resistance from regional parties, with a focus on promoting Sanskrit as superior. The BJP’s emphasis on Sanskrit in its 2019 manifesto further highlights this agenda. However, these efforts exacerbate communal tensions, alienating Indian Muslims. Despite political agendas, the majority of Indians speak their regional language without distinguishing between Hindi and Urdu.
9. The Impact of World Religions on Conservatism
SWENSON (2020) state that the association between religion and earnings conservatism across countries, positing that followers of Western religions exhibit lower risk preference compared to followers of Eastern religions, resulting in more timely earnings decreases and less timely earnings increases. The findings indicate that firms in countries predominantly practicing Western religions report more conservative earnings compared to those in countries with Eastern religious dominance, a trend robust to various sensitivity tests. Even after controlling for accounting standards and country-level factors influencing income conservatism, the type of religion practiced remains a significant explanatory variable. Moreover, the study suggests that the type of religion has a more substantial impact on earnings conservatism variation across countries than the strength of religious adherence. This research sheds light on the influence of religion on financial reporting, highlighting the importance of considering religious factors in understanding global accounting standards and practices.
10. The role of religion in work-life interface
SAV (2019) conclude that religiosity plays a significant role in the work-life interface, suggesting that religious resources aid individuals in maintaining balance between work and non-work obligations. Failure to acknowledge religion overlooks the way religious populations manage their time and energy across various roles, not just work and family. This calls for a broader research focus that incorporates religion alongside work and family roles to fully grasp how individuals achieve balance in their lives.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the discourse challenges traditional perspectives on secularism, advocating for a nuanced understanding that acknowledges India’s embrace of community-based rights while maintaining a principled distance between religion and the state. It underscores the divergent paths of India and China regarding religion, highlighting the importance of cross-cultural dialogue. Moreover, it emphasizes the distinction between religion and fundamentalism, advocating for a pluralist approach that incorporates religious perspectives in public discourse. The discussion extends to Turkey’s complex political landscape and the global resurgence of religion, challenging stereotypes and promoting a holistic view of religion’s role in contemporary society. Additionally, empirical findings on the interplay between religion and economics, linguistic divisions in India, and the influence of religion on financial reporting underscore the multifaceted impact of religion across various domains. Finally, the study advocates for a broader research focus on religion’s role in the work-life interface to better understand how individuals navigate their obligations.
REFERENCES
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