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WORK TITLE: Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 11/19/1980
WEBSITE: http://andrewcopson.net/
CITY: London
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
Phone: 0207 324 3066
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born November 19, 1980, in Nuneaton, England.
EDUCATION:Studied at University of Oxford and University of Warwick.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Humanist activist. Humanists UK, London, England, chief executive, 2010–. Has formerly served as director of European Humanist Federation, Religious Education Council, Values Education Council, and National Council for Faiths and Beliefs in Further Education; International Humanist Trust, trustee; Cardiff University, Centre for Law and Religion associate; advisor to organizations, including Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority, BBC, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Office for National Statistics, and Department for Children, Schools, and Families; former chair of Westminster Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education; Chartered Management Institute fellow; Chartered Institute of Public Relations member; Royal Society of Arts fellow; has appeared on national television and radio programs.
MEMBER:International Humanist and Ethical Union (president).
WRITINGS
Contributor to periodicals and journals, including the London Guardian, Independent, Times, and New Statesman.
SIDELIGHTS
Andrew Copson is a humanist activist. He served as director of the European Humanist Federation, and as a director and trustee of the Religious Education Council, the Values Education Council, and the National Council for Faiths and Beliefs in Further Education before becoming chief executive of Humanists UK (formerly the British Humanist Association). Copson additionally serves as a trustee with International Humanist Trust and as president of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, for which he headed a delegation to the Council of Europe.
Copson has presented his humanist activism on a number of national television programs in Britain. With A.C. Grayling, he coedited the Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Humanism in 2015. He has contributed articles on humanism and secularism for various periodicals and journals, including the London Guardian, Independent, Times, and New Statesman.
In 2017 Copson published Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom. The account serves as an introduction to the history of secularism, its philosophy, and its working tenets. Copson posits that late nineteenth-century social reformer George Holyoake’s use of the term secularism is more closely aligned with humanism in the current era with humans being prioritized at all levels of societal organization. However, he acknowledges that the meaning of the term has changed over time and space, where it is primarily associated with a lack of emphasis on religion. Throughout the text, Copson addresses the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by treating it as a secular humanist document and looking at various aspects of the intersection of community and faith to counter arguments made by various religious groups.
A contributor to Publishers Weekly said that the book lacked “trenchant analysis” and that its organization gave it “a static feel.” The reviewer conceded that “this short introduction will be used best as a narrative bibliography for further reading.” Writing in the Reading Religion Website, Sania Ismailee claimed that “Secularism is a brilliant comprehensive overview of the ‘essentially contested concept’. It covers a vast literature from East to West on the theme, including the jargons involved in global debates. This brief treatise by Andrew Copson’s with its simple language and straightforward exposition is a must read for anyone who wants to grasp the concept of secularism holistically and impartially.” Reviewing the book in Complete Review, M.A. Orthofer commented that “Copson provides a good theoretical and historical introduction and overview that also acknowledges some of the difficulties in adhering to secularism and maintaining it in the contemporary world. He is convinced that secularism provides the only fair framework for common life in any state.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, October 9, 2017, review of Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom, p. 63.
ONLINE
Andrew Copson Website, http://andrewcopson.net (March 18, 2018).
Complete Review, http://www.complete-review.com/ (December 11, 2017), M.A. Orthofer, review of Secularism.
Reading Religion, http://readingreligion.org/ (January 8, 2018), Sania Ismailee, review of Secularism.
Andrew is Chief Executive of Humanists UK (formerly the British Humanist Association). He became Chief Executive in 2010 after five years coordinating Humanists UK’s education and public affairs work. Andrew is also President of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).
Together with A C Grayling, Andrew edited the Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Humanism (2015) and he is the author of Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom (Oxford University Press, 2017). He has written on humanist and secularist for The Guardian, The Independent, The Times, and New Statesman as well as for various journals.
Andrew has represented Humanists UK and the humanist movement extensively on national television including on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Sky, as well as on programmes such as Newsnight, The Daily Politics, Sunday Morning Live, and The Big Questions.
He has also appeared on BBC radio programmes such as the Today programme, You and Yours, Sunday, The World Tonight, The World at One, The Last Word, and Beyond Belief as well as on other local and national commercial radio stations.
Andrew is a former director of the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and is currently a trustee of the International Humanist Trust. He has previously served as head of the IHEU delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and has represented humanist organisations at the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
He has advised on humanism for the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority, the Department for Children, Schools, and Families, the BBC, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Office for National Statistics. For ten years, Andrew was a member and then Chair of the Westminster Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education. He was a member of the Advisory Group for the Humanist Library at London’s Conway Hall and, in a previous post in the office of Lord Macdonald of Tradeston in the House of Lords, he provided the secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG).
Andrew served for many years as a director and trustee of the Religious Education Council, the Values Education Council, and the National Council for Faiths and Beliefs in Further Education.
Andrew was born in Nuneaton. He studied Classics and Ancient and Modern History at the University of Oxford and was a member of the winning team of the 2005 Young Educational Thinker of the Year Programme. He is currently studying for an MBA at the University of Warwick.
Andrew is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and an Associate of the Centre for Law and Religion at Cardiff University.
Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom (Very Short Introductions)
Publishers Weekly. 264.41 (Oct. 9, 2017): p63.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom (Very Short Introductions)
Andrew Copson, Oxford Univ., $18.95 trade
paper (176p) ISBN 978-0-19-880913-5
In this simple introduction to the philosophy, working tenets, and historical background of secularism, Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, works at an incredibly fast clip. (He covers the Enlightenment philosophers, for example, in less than a full chapter.) Beginning with social reformer George Holyoake coining the word "secularism" in the late 19th century, Copson argues that the word's original meaning corresponds more closely to the meaning of the contemporary "humanism" by defining secularism as an "approach to the ordering of communities, nations, and states" that places the human subject above other ideals. After presenting the evolution of the term, however, Copson, doesn't make much of an argument. One chapter features a discussion of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a secular humanist document, and elsewhere he recaps arguments made by religious groups (particularly around the intersection of community and faith), but nowhere does Copson offer personal opinions or trenchant analysis. Instead he presents the various arguments in their own terms. This strategy works for presenting information, but lends the book a static feel. This short introduction will be used best as a narrative bibliography for further reading. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom (Very Short Introductions)." Publishers Weekly, 9 Oct. 2017, p. 63. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A511293382/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0d9e9f4d. Accessed 4 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A511293382
Secularism
Politics, Religion, and Freedom
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Andrew Copson
Oxford, England: Oxford University Press , September 2017. 176 pages.
$18.96. Hardcover. ISBN 9780198809135. For other formats: Link to Publisher's Website.
Review
Andrew Copson’s book Secularism: Politics, Religion, and Freedom is a concise introduction to the concept of secularism. The book begins with a chapter titled “What is Secularism?” which introduces the term and acknowledges its multiple meanings. It clarifies that the book refers to “the most common use of the word: an approach to the ordering of communities, nations, and states” (1). Secularism is defined based on the conceptualization of French scholar Jean Baubérot as separation of state and religion, freedom of conscience and religion for all, and non-discrimination as its three core facets.
The second chapter, “Secularism in Western Societies,” gives a historical analysis of the relationship between state and religion in the West from ancient Greece to the Enlightenment. A considerable portion of the chapter focuses on the evolution of secular ideals like laïcité in France and the establishment clause in the American Constitution. Chapter 3, “Secularism Diversifies” contrasts two exemplar cases from Asia—Turkey and India—that have developed customized versions of secularism as a result of “their own political and religious traditions” (33). Turkey’s liberation from the clutches of the Ottoman Empire and the 1922 revolution lead by Mustafa Kemal transformed it into a laik (secular) society, while India pioneered a distinctive form of secularism in the mid-20th century where the state can intervene in religious matters to reinforce social justice, a provision lauded for sheltering diverse values and beliefs.
The next two chapters are logically connected. Chapter 4 presents “The Case for Secularism,” while chapter 5 offers “The Case against Secularism.” Copson acknowledges that the case for secularism is “cumulative” (65). Thus, a single thread of argument—liberal, religious or pragmatic—cannot convince secularism’s opponents. The case against secularism is more complicated because opposition to secularism is more diverse than the case for secularism in which it dominant support comes from liberal individualism. The most persistent challenge posed to secularism comes from religion. This is evident from the dominance of Islam as the foundational principle of political order in Muslim-majority countries and the discrimination faced by non-Muslims under such regimes. Copson also characterizes atheist communist states as the “mirror image of theocracies” (78) due to their intolerant attitudes. Traditionalists who champion national identity based on ethnicity constitute one camp against secularism. And Copson mentions secularism’s “own children” (83)—that is, liberal thinkers—as some of the most vociferous critics of secularism who declare that state neutrality is a myth.
After discussing the condition of states in the real world, Copson revisits the definition of secularism in chapter 6, “Conceptions of Secularism,” where he claims Baubérot’s characterization of secularism to be an ideal that has never been realized as a political reality. The various contestations around the term secularism are brought to notice. The problem of relying strictly on Western “theorizations and ideological definition” (96), as highlighted by Indian political theorist Rajeev Bhargava, is also given due attention. The chapter also touches upon the nuances of the concept secularism as inscribed in different constitutions around the world. The last and polemic chapter, “Hard Questions and New Conflicts,” paints a realistic picture of the brutal truths of practicing secular democracies. It brings forth the paradox that countries that are not officially secular are more secular than the countries that are officially secular. It mentions incidents posing challenge to secular ideals globally, including fatwas against Sir Salman Rushdie after the publication of The Satanic Verses, violence following the published cartoons of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, mob lynchings in India, and the burkini ban in France, to name a few. Copson concludes the book by proposing secularism as the best possible, if not perfect option for political settlement.
Secularism is a brilliant comprehensive overview of the ‘essentially contested concept’. It covers a vast literature from East to West on the theme, including the jargons involved in global debates. This brief treatise by Andrew Copson’s with its simple language and straightforward exposition is a must read for anyone who wants to grasp the concept of secularism holistically and impartially.
About the Reviewer(s):
Sania Ismailee is a doctoral fellow in Political Philosophy at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Date of Review:
January 8, 2018
About the Author(s)/Editor(s)/Translator(s):
Andrew Copson is the chief executive of the British Humanist Association, where he was previously Director of Education and Public Affairs; First Vice President of the International Humanist and Ethical Union; and a former Director of the European Humanist Federation. In these capacities he is one of the most experienced and prolific advocates of secularism, its study, and its implementation. For over a decade he has carried out a range of national and international practical secularist policy work and spoken internationally on secularism.
Secularism
by
Andrew Copson
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To purchase Secularism
Title: Secularism
Author: Andrew Copson
Genre: Non-fiction
Written: 2017
Length: 142 pages
Availability: Secularism - US
Secularism - UK
Secularism - Canada
Politics, Religion, and Freedom
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Our Assessment:
B : good, basic introductory overview
See our review for fuller assessment.
Review Summaries
Source Rating Date Reviewer
Publishers Weekly . 9/10/2017 .
From the Reviews:
"(N)owhere does Copson offer personal opinions or trenchant analysis. Instead he presents the various arguments in their own terms. This strategy works for presenting information, but lends the book a static feel. This short introduction will be used best as a narrative bibliography for further reading." - Publishers Weekly
Please note that these ratings solely represent the complete review's biased interpretation and subjective opinion of the actual reviews and do not claim to accurately reflect or represent the views of the reviewers. Similarly the illustrative quotes chosen here are merely those the complete review subjectively believes represent the tenor and judgment of the review as a whole. We acknowledge (and remind and warn you) that they may, in fact, be entirely unrepresentative of the actual reviews by any other measure.
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The complete review's Review:
This title was apparently originally intended to be part of the Oxford University Press Very Short Introductions-series -- Copson even writes at one point: "Since this book is only a very short introduction", and both the Publishers Weekly review and the Amazon-listing for the book credit it as being part of the series -- but is instead presented as a slightly larger hardcover stand-alone, and with its own subtitle (Politics, Religion, and Freedom). Nevertheless, it could easily have been fit into the series too, and what Copson offers is very similar to the basic VSI-template: Secularism is a concise overview of the subject, offering historical background, questions surrounding it, and its place in the contemporary world.
Copson begins with the definition of secularism -- basically, the separation of state and religion. As he notes, and as becomes clear from the examples he discusses, such a separation is not easy to achieve or maintain.
While making the case for secularism, Copson is also willing to entertain the arguments against it (and acknowledge situations of potential overreach). The thin, blurry line between secularist policy and the use of the cover or excuse of secularism to promote anti-religious (usually aimed against a specific religion or religions) policies also comes up repeatedly.
Revolutionary France and the United States, and then twentieth-century Turkey and India serve as examples of the establishment of secularism -- each also serving as an interesting example of the state of secularism in contemporary times, as present-day political leadership in India and Turkey has strongly brought (a specific) religion back into areas it had been (more or less ...) excluded from, while both France and the United States again struggle more prominently with church-state separation in a variety of spheres.
Secularism remains a popular official position and ideal -- over 70 of 195 national constitutions declare a separation of church and state, and only around thirty declare there is an official state religion -- but there are large gray areas. Several European countries that may seem particularly open in fact tie church and state closely together, such as Denmark (where, Copson notes, the clergy is appointed by the state), while for example the British monarch is the ''Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England', which is -- at least taken literally -- about as far from the secular ideal as one can get (in practice, of course, the monarch bothers little with defending or governing; nevertheless, it's surely of little comfort to those who prefer church and state at arm's distance, and certainly complicates the broader effort to keep religion out of state-action).
The case for secularism seems an obvious, overwhelming one, especially in any culture that is not entirely homogeneous (as, surely, as far as belief-systems go, none but the tiniest voluntary communities can possibly be), but religion remains a powerful (and often unifying) force, and the power-hungry often piggy-back on it in their power-grabs -- and are then expected to favor it in governing (generally at the expense of various minorities), muddying the waters. Giving in to the temptation to appease powerful, well-organized religious interests for short-term gain continues to undermine would-be secularist societies.
Copson provides a good theoretical and historical introduction and overview that also acknowledges some of the difficulties in adhering to secularism and maintaining it in the contemporary world. He is convinced that secularism provides the only fair framework for common life in any state -- a convincing position that nevertheless finds many detractors among those who see their religious way as the only possible (because god-given ...) right way, and continue not to want to see it separated from the political sphere.
- M.A.Orthofer, 11 December 2017