Why So Devout? Untangling the Puzzle of American Religious Fervour

old_uid11391
titleWhy So Devout? Untangling the Puzzle of American Religious Fervour
start_date2016/06/03
schedule11h30-13h
onlineno
summaryWhy is America a religious outlier, an anomaly to the powerful secularization trend that has transformed the rest of the club of wealthy democracies? I will discuss and evaluate, against the evidence, several theories of this anomaly: exaggerated reporting, founder effects, religious immigrants, free religious markets, and existential insecurity. I argue that of these five explanations, only two are reasonably well-supported by the available evidence. I conclude with a discussion of the current and expected future trends of religiosity in America in the context of the world.
responsiblesLesguillons