Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, vol. 18, issue 53 (Summer 2019): 123-140.
ISSN: 1583-0039 © SACRI
JORGE BOTELHO MONIZ
A CULTURE OF SECULARITY? THE PHENOMENON OF NON-
RELIGION IN 21
ST
CENTURY PORTUGUESE SOCIETY AND POLITICS
Abstract: This paper aims to study the causes of the growth of non-religious people in
Portugal, focusing mainly in the first decade and a half of the 21
st
-century. In order to
understand this phenomenon, we turn to the theories of secularization and secularity,
since they give us, within this specific regional context, relevant theoretical and empirical
tools to analyze the object of our study. Within secularization, we investigate the
development of the processes of rationalization, societalization and existential security
that have been taking place in the country. In regard to secularity, we examine the
development and legal, political and social implementation of a set of (secular) guiding
ideas, such as morality polices, which help to create a singular culture of secularity in the
country. We conclude that there is a correlation between the growth of non-religious
people and the development of a specific and hegemonic secular culture.
Key words: Non-religion, Secularization, Secularity, Morality policies, Portugal.
Jorge Botelho Moniz
NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal, and UFSC - Federal University of Santa Catarina,
Brazil.
Email: jorgemoniz.fellow@gmail.com