@nonreligioncf.bsky.social
International social science research project exploring the rise of nonreligion. Based at the University of Ottawa. Directed by Lori G. Beaman. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. https://nonreligionproject.ca/
Informative video discussing the nuances between non-religious identification and beliefs in the 'Arab world', much of the discussion resonates with my research on non-religious refugees in and beyond this context:
ποΈβπ¨οΈ youtu.be/Oy3JuwGJWBE?...
Missed the recent Unearthing Lifestances book launch?? The recording is now available to watch on YouTube:
youtu.be/Ydj57K317eg
The NCF Project invites you to an upcoming virtual book launch for our new book, Religion and Nonreligion in Same-Sex Marriage Debates: Emerging Imaginaries (De Gruyter, 2026).
Date: March 9, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm ET
Register: uottawa-ca.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Thrilled to share my *first* academic paper has been published in Secularism and Nonreligion! π
I talk about the emotional journeys of leaving religion & navigating the British asylum system. Read it here π secularismandnonreligion.org/articles/232...
This is a reminder that there is still time to register for the NCF's virtual book launch to celebrate the release of the new book, Unearthing Lifestances: What Community Gardens Tell Us About Nonreligion (De Gruyter, 2026)
February 24
4pm ET
Register here: uottawa-ca.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
π΄NEW PUBLICATIONπ΄
"Religiosity is Declining BUT Giving is Increasing: Can the Nonreligious Really Be Less Generous?" by Ryan T. Cragun, Alexandra Rodriguez, Jesse Smith and David Speed.
Read the paper here:
π doi.org/10.5334/snr....
#NonReligion #SociologyOfReligion #ReligiousNones #AcademicSky
What can community gardens tell us about nonreligion? How have debates over same-sex marriage revealed the boundaries between religion and nonreligion? Has there been a religious revival in the UK?
Find out about all this and more in this edition of the NCF's newsletter:
mailchi.mp/nonreligionp...
New episode of the Lifestances Podcast is now available!
Ep. 7: Religion and Nonreligion in the Classroom: Educating for a Diverse World
Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/5EVs...
teaching histories of atheism, secularism, and humanism. speakers Tina Block (Thompson Rivers University, Canada), Katharina Neef (University of Leipzig, Germany), and Atko Remmel (University of Tartu, Estonia). February 18th, 10.00 PT, 13.00 ET, 18.00 GMT, and 19.00 CET To sign up for the webinar and get the zoom link email ishashmail@gmail.com
Our first webinar of 2026 will be a chance to reflect on, discuss, and share experiences of teaching histories of atheism, secularism, and humanism. Join us on Wed 18 February - just get in touch to register, all welcome! atheismsecularismhumanism.wordpress.com/seminars/
03.02.2026 21:36 β π 8 π 4 π¬ 1 π 0
Read the book for free here: www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
29.01.2026 15:28 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
The NCF invites you to an upcoming virtual book launch for the newest book from our team, Unearthing Lifestances: What Community Gardens Tell Us About Nonreligion (De Gruyter, 2026).
Date: February 24, 2026
Time: 4:00 pm ET
Register here: uottawa-ca.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Has there been a religious revival in the UK? In this article, @conradhackett.bsky.social (Pew Research) digs into this question and shows how the use of certain survey methods can offer a skewed picture
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
Announcing the 8th Freethought History Webinar, ft. Lucie Lemieux on the secularist and feminist life and career of Annie Besant, one-time vice president of @natsecsoc.bsky.social.
Happening on 3 March! More info and how to register π
freethinker.co.uk/2026/01/free...
New from NCF team member Guilherme Borges, "Secular Religious Education? Brief Reflections Based on a Brazilian Case" in the NSRN blog
@thensrn.bsky.social
thensrn.org/2026/01/17/s...
This book is open access, meaning it is free for anyone to read.
Read here:
www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
New Publication Alert Religion and Nonreligion in Same Sex Marriage Debates: Emerging Imaginaries In recent decades, questions about who makes up a family, the role of biology in defining sex, and the origins of human life have been the source of deep social, moral, and legal controversies. This book focuses on the debates around same-sex marriage in seven countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and the United States) and uses these debates to examine the demarcations and zones of transition between the religious and the nonreligious.
We're excited to announce the publication of Religion and Nonreligion in Same Sex Marriage Debates: Emerging Imaginaries (edited by Juan Marco Vaggione, Paula Montero, and Lori G. Beaman).
This is the latest in our NCF book series published by De Gruyter.
[acesso aberto] Saiu a coletÒnea sobre não religião e o debate acerca do casamento entre pessoas do mesmo sexo, do @nonreligioncf.bsky.social, em que o Cebrap participa. A organização é de Juan M Vaggione, Paula Montero e Lori G Beaman. cebrap.org.br/nucleo-de-re...
17.12.2025 15:23 β π 2 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
Check out the latest article in the NSRN blog by Alexandr ZamuΘinski
@thensrn.bsky.social
thensrn.org/2025/11/13/n...
ABSTRACT Noting a disconnect in the percentage of Canadians and Americans who believe in a soul (75.37% and 84%, respectively) versus those who believe in an afterlife (47.64% and 57.04%), we explore the variables that are correlated with soul belief to better understand how people from these two countries may be conceptualizing the soul. Based on quota samples of just over 1000 individuals from each country, we find that religiosity is not a consistent predictor of believing in a soul, that Christians are more likely to believe in a soul than are those from other religions and the nonreligious, and that holding other supernatural beliefs (e.g., reincarnation, miracles, etc.) increases the odds of believing in a soul. But we also find that there are individuals in both countries who hold no supernatural beliefs yet report believing in a soul, which suggests that what is meant by βsoulβ is not exclusively supernatural but rather that the term βsoulβ is evolving in light of changing and declining religiosity in both countries.
02.12.2025 16:59 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
New Publication alert "Appropriating the βSoulβ: Evolving Understandings in Canada and the United Statesβ Canadian Review of Sociology (2025) Dana Gaudette NCF Student Researcher University of Tampa Ryan Cragun NCF Co-Investigator University of Tampa Lori Beaman NCF Principal Investigator University of Ottawa
Are there individuals who hold no supernatural beliefs yet still believe in a soul? Find out the answer (and more) in the latest article from the NCF team.
Read here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Lori G. Beaman
Congratulations to SSSR member Lori G. Beaman who was named the 2024-2025 Distinguished University Professor @uottawa.ca. Beaman holds the Canada Research Chair in Religious Diversity & Social Change, and directs the @nonreligioncf.bsky.social (NCF) Project.
www.uottawa.ca/about-us/lea...
Our recent masterclass with Prof Lori G Beaman of @nonreligioncf.bsky.social is now available to watch on YouTube! Prof Beaman presented her work on 'deep equality' as an alternative to tolerance and accommodation in diverse societies. Watch hereπ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAAy...
Having learned of Stephen Weldonβs book at a recent webinar co-hosted by @nonreligioncf.bsky.social and @ishash.bsky.social, Iβve started reading The Scientific Spirit of American Humanism.
13.11.2025 21:56 β π 2 π 2 π¬ 1 π 0
A cover of the book, Unearthing Lifestances, and a description that says: Drawing on interviews from community gardeners in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Finland, Norway, Northern Ireland, and the United States, this book explores themes of community-building, ritual, ethics, and relationships with humans, non-humans, and the natural world, arguing for their conceptualization as βlifestancesβ
We're excited to announce the publication of Unearthing Lifestances: What Community Gardens Tell Us About Nonreligion (co-edited by Lori Beaman, Ryan Cragun, and Douglas Ezzy), the first in our open-access book series with De Gruyter.
Read here for free: www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
Unfortunately we need to cancel this webinar tomorrow, but we hope to reschedule soon. Watch this space!
11.11.2025 13:50 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
This is still time to register for our latest Meet the Author webinar featuring Ben Laws. In this webinar, Dr. Laws will present his new book, Asylum and Nonreligion: Emotions, Evidence-making and Credibility (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024)
Nov. 12, 11am ET
Register: uottawa-ca.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
π£ Check out this podcast interview featuring the NCF's @cmillerphd.bsky.social, "Going Underground: The World of Natural Burials," where he discusses his latest research on green/natural burials
www.humanities.utoronto.ca/news-events/...
The latest webinar in our series, Nonreligion, Past and Present: Interdisciplinary Conversations, is now available to watch on YouTube.
This webinar focuses on science and nonreligion, and features Renny Thomas, Stephen Weldon, Bernard Lightman, and Lauren Strumos.
Watch here: youtu.be/DuuLLPZb4ls
Law scholar MΓ©lisande SΓ©guin joins us Thursday to discuss her work with the Indigenous Campesino movement in Guatemala, and the line between scholarship and activism. Join us Thursday!
03.11.2025 18:39 β π 1 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
Register now for our latest Meet the Author webinar featuring Ben Laws. In this webinar, Dr. Laws will present his new book, Asylum and Nonreligion: Emotions, Evidence-making and Credibility (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024).
November 12
11am ET
Register here: uottawa-ca.zoom.us/meeting/regi...