Religion, secularity and cultural agency

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Before the end of the Cold War, religion was seen as a relic of tradition, losing its relevance in social and political spheres and becoming optional in modern life. However, the classical secularization hypothesis is now less certain. Religion has maintained its significance for both individual and collective cultural agency. In Britain, the intertwining of religion with cultural conflicts has a long history dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. The first section of this volume examines examples from the 17th to early 19th centuries, highlighting the close relationship between religion and the key pathways of modernization. The second section explores regional, popular, and elite cultural phenomena, revealing the deep influence of religion in contemporary society. The third section discusses the portrayal of religion in post-war and recent films, illustrating its visibility as an issue since the mid-20th century, shaped by ideological and economic factors. Overall, the essays illustrate that the division between the religious and the secular is not clear-cut. Instead, the ongoing fusion of religious and secular elements continues to serve as a significant source of social, cultural, and political agency for individuals and communities alike.