Since 2001, history has proven the classic and once dominant theories of secularization wrong. Instead of abandoning the subject of secularization, Niels Reeh's Secularization Revisited demonstrates how the collapse of formerly dominant secularization theories indicates fundamental conceptual challenges within sociology. Through a historical sociological case study of the political decision-making concerning the teaching of religion in Denmark from 1721 to 2006, Reeh explains why sociology of religion and sociology more generally should pay more attention to interstate relations, state-form and state-agency. The Danish state's interest in its inhabitants' religion over the last three centuries responded not only to religious motives but to concerns about foreign relations and the survival of the state.

Provides a renewed attempt to learn from the failure of the classic and once dominant secularization theories Introduces inter-state relations, state agency and inter-religious relations into the debate about secularization and historical religious change Offers the first historical sociological case study of the teaching of religion of a European state from 1700 until today

Autorentext
Dr. Neils Reeh received his Ph.D. in 2007 from the University of Copenhagen. He has received several grants from the Danish Research Council and has been a one year visitor at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton New Jersey and is currently Associate Research-Professor at the University of Copenhagen.

Inhalt
Introduction.- Part I: Theory.- A Conceptual Analysis of the Roots of the Dominant Secularization Theories.- What is a Religion? Towards a Relational Approach to Religion.- Further Implications of the Relational Approach to the Study of Religion.- Part II: Case-Study of the Religious State Politics in the Danish Schools from 1700 - 2006.- The period from 1721 to 1789.- The period from 1789 to 1814.- The period from 1814 to 1849.- The period from 1848 to 1865.- The period from 1864 to 1901.- The period from 1901 to 1949.- The period from 1949 to 1975.- From 1975 to the end of the Cold War.- From 1990 to 2006.- Summary of the State Religious Politics from 1721 to 2005.- Part III: Conclusion.- Conclusion.