Rethinking the Role of Religion in Changing Public Spheres: Some Comparative Perspectives

Moreover, the mass media dimension of these developments has been well articulated by sociologist Manuel Castells, who argues that we have passed from Giddens's era of "late modernity" into the age of the "network society."17 The information technology revolution and the restructuring of capitalist economies have generated this new form of society. In Castells's opinion, these societal changes have led to a disjunction between the local and the global, as well as a disjunction between power and experience for most individuals and social groups.18 Consequently, he states, "[t]he search for meaning takes place ... in the reconstruction of defensive identities around communal principles."19 These new forms of communal resistance or "cultural communes," as Castells terms them, are at the base of the new primacy of identity politics in today's network society and information age.20 He sees the resurgence of religious fundamentalism as reflecting the contestations of the new global order.21 Given their reactive nature, these movements constitute a social barometer aiming to construct "social and personal identity on the basis of images of the past and projecting them into a Utopian future, to overcome unbearable present times."22

With that background, the September 11th terrorist attacks spectacularly demonstrated the effects of religious ideology on the public sphere. In the words of Philip Jenkins, a prominent academic commentator on contemporary religious affairs, "the twenty-first century will almost certainly be regarded by future historians as a century in which religion replaced ideology as the prime animating and destructive force in human affairs, guiding attitudes to political liberty and obligation, concepts of nationhood, and, of course, conflicts and wars."23 The production of works on Islam, on religion and violence generally, and on peace and tolerance has escalated exponentially since September 11th. Additionally, September 11th brought home to many not only the need to know more about other religious interpretations of the world, but also a stronger sense of the ambivalence of the sacred24 and our global connectedness. One human rights scholar poignantly calls this "our shared vulnerability."25

B. Popular Recognition of Religion in the Public Sphere

Interestingly, while journalists and academic analysts have rushed to catch up with global religious resurgences, books promoting religion, more religion, or better religion are bestsellers in many parts of the world. Books on religion or spirituality now feature regularly on The New York Times bestseller list, ranging from religious reflections and spiritual guides to modern interpretations of ancient, sacred wisdom.26 One can also find histories and contemporary accounts of religious traditions, concepts, and holy places written for the general reader, such as A History of God and The Battle for God by popular British author Karen Armstrong.27

Once President Bill Clinton started singing the praises of Yale law professor Stephen Carter's works, such as The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion,28 sales went up exponentially.29 Explaining how preserving a special role for religious communities can strengthen democracy, Carter criticizes contemporary American law and politics for marginalizing religious faith such that it cannot be a resource for political action.30 In his more recent book, God's Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion in Politics,31 Carter expresses his concerns about the risks and limitations of political involvement for religious people and communities. He writes,