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Towards Postsecular Sociology?

University of Bristol, g.mclennan{at}bristol.ac.uk

This article identifies four articulations of the growing `postsecular' condition of social and political thought, and places the idea of sociology in relation to them. I identify and critically engage with those aspects of poststructuralist vitalism, transcendental realism, multiculturalist thinking, and the recent `dialogical' sentiments of Habermas that might undermine sociology's definitive (but broadly conceived) secularism/naturalism. This implies that if we are concerned about advancing the role of `public sociology' then we should be actively engaged in countering anti-secular and anti-naturalistic elements of the postsecular climate.Yet we must avoid anthropomorphizing sociology as a public player, and accept too that the postsecular reconsideration of `faith versus reason' stretches beyond the confines of epistemological and explanatory considerations per se.

Key Words: Habermas • multiculturalism • naturalism • postsecular • public sociology • realism

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