Humanism is appealed to today whenever we want to tackle the conditions of dehumanization in the contemporary world. But for humanism to be viable in the twenty first century, this book argues, it needs to be pluralized.
Employing theoretical, historical, and sociological arguments, this book moves beyond the discourse of critique. It engages theories of religion and secularism, as well as postmodern, postcolonial, and decolonial critiques of Western humanist projects, to uncover the ideas and practices of religious and secular humanisms when they challenge dehumanization in the pursuit of conditions of flourishing for all. Through studies of the Solidarity movement in Poland and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, the book demonstrates the centrality of humanist traditions to the emergence of religious-secular solidarities that transformed the political landscapes of the world. By highlighting the instances in which humanisms functioned as checks on each other's absolutist claims, the book contends that humanisms supply a constructive path for addressing the challenges of our time-a time of radically divided societies and intolerant, even violent, forms of nationalism. A challenge to the critiques of humanism that seek to identify it solely as the legacy of the West, as anti-religious discourse, or relegate it to the domain of power constellations, Pluralizing Humanism highlights the rich plurality of humanist discourses and the need for their mutual engagements. It points to humanist ideals as constitutive of politics that can guide our human power because they are irreducible to it.
As such, this book will appeal to social scientists, social theorists, religious studies scholars, and ethicists with interests in religion, secularism, social movements, and humanist thought and practice.
| ISBN: | 9781032182988 |
| Publication date: | 21st May 2026 |
| Author: | Slavica Jakelic |
| Publisher: | Routledge an imprint of Taylor & Francis |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 238 pages |
| Series: | Classical and Contemporary Social Theory |
| Genres: |
Social theory Phenomenology and Existentialism Religion and politics Ethics and moral philosophy Social and political philosophy Politics and government |
Humanism is appealed to today whenever we want to tackle the conditions of dehumanization in the contemporary world. But for humanism to be viable in the twenty first century, this book argues, it needs to be pluralized.
Employing theoretical, historical, and sociological arguments, this book moves beyond the discourse of critique. It engages theories of religion and secularism, as well as postmodern, postcolonial, and decolonial critiques of Western humanist projects, to uncover the ideas and practices of religious and secular humanisms when they challenge dehumanization in the pursuit of conditions of flourishing for all. Through studies of the Solidarity movement in Poland and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, the book demonstrates the centrality of humanist traditions to the emergence of religious-secular solidarities that transformed the political landscapes of the world. By highlighting the instances in which humanisms functioned as checks on each other's absolutist claims, the book contends that humanisms supply a constructive path for addressing the challenges of our time-a time of radically divided societies and intolerant, even violent, forms of nationalism. A challenge to the critiques of humanism that seek to identify it solely as the legacy of the West, as anti-religious discourse, or relegate it to the domain of power constellations, Pluralizing Humanism highlights the rich plurality of humanist discourses and the need for their mutual engagements. It points to humanist ideals as constitutive of politics that can guide our human power because they are irreducible to it.
As such, this book will appeal to social scientists, social theorists, religious studies scholars, and ethicists with interests in religion, secularism, social movements, and humanist thought and practice.
Pluralizing Humanism features in the following genres: Social theory, Phenomenology and Existentialism, Religion and politics, Ethics and moral philosophy, Social and political philosophy, Politics and government
Pluralizing Humanism is available in Paperback, Hardback
Pluralizing Humanism was written by Slavica Jakelic and published by Routledge an imprint of Taylor & Francis
Pluralizing Humanism has 238 pages
Yes it is part of Classical and Contemporary Social Theory series
£43.19