Civilization as secularization: The transformation of european identities

Abstract

This paper has one cardinal, norm, and two consequential themes, need and way, of the European quest for new identity. The cardinal theme under treatment is the invention of the norm (civilization, progress, culture) of identity. Two consequential themes are the need, called cosmopolitanism, for such an invention of the new norms of identity, the way of the adoption of these new norms of identity by the dialectics of identification via othering or intention via contention. As for the reason why emphasis is put here on civilization of the norms of identity is that its distinction as civilization/civilizing enables us to see more clearly the three dimensions (norm, need, way) of the search for identity unlike the concepts progress and culture. This process of the transformation of identities in Europe is very what is called secularization. Hence, this study is intended to be a contribution both to the definition of secularization in general and to the notion of civilization and cosmopolitanism in particular as the essential aspects of secularization.