'Doing the secular'. Academic practices in the study of religion at two Danish universities

TY - JOUR

T1 - 'Doing the secular'.

T2 - Academic practices in the study of religion at two Danish universities

AU - Johansen, Birgitte Schepelern

PY - 2011/10

Y1 - 2011/10

N2 - The academic study of religion at the public university often presents itself as a secular, non-religious, scientific endeavor. The identity of the study is thus firmly rooted within one of the central secular-religious divides, namely that between science and religion. Based on the assumption that such distinctions between religion and the secular (in this case science) are by no means naturally given, but continuously need to be produced and sanctioned in social practice in order to sustain themselves, the article shows how the distinction between religion and science is produced in daily academic practices at two departments for the Study of Religion at Danish universities.

AB - The academic study of religion at the public university often presents itself as a secular, non-religious, scientific endeavor. The identity of the study is thus firmly rooted within one of the central secular-religious divides, namely that between science and religion. Based on the assumption that such distinctions between religion and the secular (in this case science) are by no means naturally given, but continuously need to be produced and sanctioned in social practice in order to sustain themselves, the article shows how the distinction between religion and science is produced in daily academic practices at two departments for the Study of Religion at Danish universities.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Secularity, boundaries, religion, academic practices

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1474-0222

VL - Vol.10

SP - 279

JO - Arts and Humanities in Higher Education

JF - Arts and Humanities in Higher Education

IS - 3

ER -