Becoming Humanist: Worldview Formation and the Emergence of Atheist Britain

TY - JOUR

T1 - Becoming Humanist

T2 - Worldview Formation and the Emergence of Atheist Britain

AU - Strhan, Anna

AU - Lee, Lois

AU - Shillitoe, Rachael

N1 - © The Author(s) 2024

PY - 2024/3/6

Y1 - 2024/3/6

N2 - It is widely accepted that the growth of “non-religious” identification and “non-belief” in God(s) in many societies is linked to changing religious socialization. However, existing research mapping these intergenerational changes has largely focused on religious decline or the loss of belief –“push” factors – rather than exploring the distinctive non-religious forms of life into which children are growing up, which may operate as “pull” factors. Drawing on a qualitative study conducted with children, their parents, and teachers in England, we demonstrate how children come to inhabit a “humanist condition” through socialization processes in which “pull” factors towards humanism play a significant role and even shape the nature of “push” factors. The significance of new worldviews also helps explain how participants combine humanism with diverse religious and non-religious beliefs and practices. We argue that socialization processes at home and at school are interwoven and can be hard to distinguish in practice.

AB - It is widely accepted that the growth of “non-religious” identification and “non-belief” in God(s) in many societies is linked to changing religious socialization. However, existing research mapping these intergenerational changes has largely focused on religious decline or the loss of belief –“push” factors – rather than exploring the distinctive non-religious forms of life into which children are growing up, which may operate as “pull” factors. Drawing on a qualitative study conducted with children, their parents, and teachers in England, we demonstrate how children come to inhabit a “humanist condition” through socialization processes in which “pull” factors towards humanism play a significant role and even shape the nature of “push” factors. The significance of new worldviews also helps explain how participants combine humanism with diverse religious and non-religious beliefs and practices. We argue that socialization processes at home and at school are interwoven and can be hard to distinguish in practice.

U2 - 10.1093/socrel/srad050

DO - 10.1093/socrel/srad050

M3 - Article

SN - 1069-4404

JO - Sociology of Religion

JF - Sociology of Religion

M1 - srad050

ER -