Atheists in America

Erscheinungsjahr 2014
ISBN: 978-0-231-16358-3
Verlag: Columbia University Press

Buch, Englisch, 272 Seiten, Format (B × H): 153 mm x 236 mm, Gewicht: 512 g

This collection features more than two dozen narratives by atheists from different backgrounds across the United States. Ranging in age, race, sexual orientation, and religious upbringing, these individuals address deconversion, community building, parenting, and romantic relationships, providing a nuanced look at living without a god in a predominantly Christian nation.

These narratives illuminate the complexities and consequences for nonbelievers in the United States. Stepping away from religious belief can have serious social and existential ramifications, forcing atheists to discover new ways to live meaningfully without a religious community. Yet shedding the constraints of a formal belief system can also be a freeing experience. Ultimately, this volume shows that claiming an atheist identity is anything but an act isolated from the other dimensions of the self. Upending common social, political, and psychological assumptions about atheists, this collection helps carve out a more accepted space for this minority within American society.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Brewster, Melanie

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionskritik
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionsgeschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Alternative Glaubensformen Agnostizismus, Atheismus, Säkularer Humanismus

Inhaltsverzeichnis

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction. The Other Closet: An Introduction to Atheism and Coming Out ProcessesPart 1. Leaving Faith: Arriving at Atheist Identity from Religious Backgrounds1. How I Got to None of the Above, by Alvin Burstein2. Religion and the F-Word (Feminism), by Lynnette3. Clap Our Hands Like Trees, by Chris Matallana4. Ex-Mormon, by Cora JuddPart 2. Cultural Contexts in Coming Out as Atheist5. An Unexamined Life, by Naima Cabelle6. User Error: Coming Out as Atheist in Utah, by James Mouritsen7. The Names We Call Home, by Shawn Mirza8. A Life of Class Consciousness, by David HoelscherPart 3. Two Closets? Identifying as Both LGBTQ and Atheist9. A Tale of Two Closets, by Stephen S. Mills10. The Permanent Prodigal Daughter, by Sherilyn Connelly11. Far from Home, by David Philip NorrisPart 4. Ain't No Mountain High Enough: Navigating Romantic Relationships as an Atheist12. An Atheist's Simple Revelation About Love: It's Complicated, by Ethan Sahker13. Swept Under the Rug, by Kristen Rurouni14. On Love and Credulity, by Matt HartPart 5. Family Life and Atheist Parenting15. Dinner with Grandma, by Ronnelle Adams16. Parenting Authentically in an Interfaith Marriage, by Kevin J. Zimmerman17. Having a Baby Made Me an Atheist, by Amy Watkins18. Born Secular, by Adrienne Filardo FaganPart 6. The Search for Connection: Coming Out to Friends and Questing for Community19. Slow Growth, by Justus Humphrey20. An Atheist in the Bible Belt, by Brittany Friedel21. Coming Out and Finding Home, by Pam ZerbaPart 7. Atheism at Work: Tales of Coming Out to Coworkers and Colleagues22. Is This the Way to Amarillo?, by Samuel W. Needleman23. Cracking Open the Closet Door, by Camilo Ortiz24. My Favorite Atheist, by John DoumaPart 8. Atheism and Aging: The Challenges of Entering Older Adulthood as a Nonbeliever25. The Road Less Traveled, by Ursula Raabe26. A Contrarian Life Story, by Elizabeth Malm Clemens27. Dark Matter and Missing Socks, by Margaret M. BennettConcluding Thoughts: The Open DoorNotesBibliography

Leseproben

Read "The Other Closet: An Introduction to Atheism and Coming Out Processes," the introduction to Atheists in America:

Über Autor(innen)

Melanie Elyse Brewster is a professor of psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research focuses on marginalized groups and examines how experiences of discrimination and stigma may shape the mental health of minority group members, such as LGBTQ individuals, atheists, and people of color. She regularly tweets about identity politics at @melysebrewster.