This book seeks to account for and analyse the political aspects of the ‘new atheism’. It is best known as a literary and media phenomenon which has resulted in the widespread discussion of the anti-religious arguments of authors such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. Yet the new atheism has strongly political dimensions and this book offers an analysis of the politics of new atheism that is informed by insights from political science and political theory.
The book aims to:
- Understand new atheism in political terms, demonstrating that where forms of atheism emerge they often have a political character
- Interpret the New Atheism, proposing that it does not simply represent a type of modernism, but that it also incorporates postmodern features
- Examine the strategies, tactics and practical campaigning of new atheists, including the dilemmas their stances have raised for secularist groups in the UK and US
- Critique political responses to New Atheism, arguing that various Marxist, feminist and conservative authors often mischaracterise new atheism as a form of extremism
- Discuss political theorists and moral philosophers who have criticised new atheism
- Show that there is good empirical evidence to substantiate some of the main claims new atheists make regarding the security threats posed by forms of religion.
The book seeks to highlight both what may be problematic about new atheist politics and what may have resonance and be worth acknowledging positively. It will be of great interest to undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers and academics in areas such as the new atheism, political atheism, secularism, non-religion, and secular-religious tensions. In addition the book may be bought and read by a number of lay activists or religious practitioners.
| Introduction |
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1 | (14) |
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15 | (19) |
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2 What's really new about new atheism? |
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34 | (23) |
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3 The politics of new atheism in the United States |
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57 | (21) |
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4 Political responses to new atheism |
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78 | (30) |
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5 New atheism and morality |
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108 | (22) |
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6 New atheism and religious violence |
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130 | (23) |
| Conclusion: new atheism and political ruptures |
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153 | (10) |
| Index |
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163 | |
Stuart McAnulla is an Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Leeds. He completed his Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Birmingham and has also worked as a researcher at the University of Central England. His main specialisms include contemporary British politics and the role of philosophy and social theory in political analysis. He is also interested in the politics of atheism, religion and non-religion.
Steven Kettell is an Associate Professor in Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Warwick in 2003, and worked as a lecturer in British Politics at the University of Birmingham from 2003-2005. He is also a founder and Co-Executive Editor of the journal, British Politics. His main research interests are centred on the themes of non-religion and secularism.
Marcus Schulzke is a Lecturer in Politics at the University of York. He specializes in security studies and applied ethics. He is particularly interested in new military technologies, just war theory, military ethics, and the political significance of popular culture.
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