Secularism and Cosmopolitanism: Critical Hypotheses on Religion and Politics

Philosopher Balibar (Violence and Civility) undercuts the liberal faith in secularism as a solution to political problems in this dense, precise work. He opens with a complex and subtle essay about the inherent paradox of secularism and cosmopolitanism. Although robust democracy and intellectual debate require exposure to differences, Balibar argues, proponents of secularism attempt to flatten out human variety. Religion, in his mind, will continue to survive and morph into new forms, and requires a new secularism that can turn its own critique of subjugating ideologies on itself. In the pieces that follow, Balibar further develops his argument that Western thought obscures the “hegemonic overtones of terms” to perpetuate the power of the ruling classes. “Monotheism” is a surprisingly recent creation deployed to defend political structures, he writes, and “secularism” purports to be universal despite arising from a very specific time and place. Balibar’s less detailed (though no less demanding) essays critique responses to the Charlie Hebdo and Nice terrorist attacks, including an incisive breakdown of the issue of free speech and blasphemy. Not for general readers, Baliber’s writing on religion and politics contains remarkable insights for scholars working on secular ethics and contemporary religious quarrels. (June)