Phil Zuckerman

Phil J. Zuckerman

Phil Zuckerman at a 2010 conference in Costa Mesa, California
Born Philip Joseph Zuckerman[1]
(1969-06-26) June 26, 1969
Los Angeles, California
Residence United States
Fields Sociology
Institutions Pitzer College
Alma mater University of Oregon PhD, 1998
Known for Secularization

Philip "Phil" Zuckerman (born June 26, 1969 in Los Angeles, California)[1] is a professor of sociology at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. He specializes in the sociology of secularity.[2][3][4] He is the author of several books, including Society Without God (2008) for which he won ForeWord Magazine's silver book of the year award, and Faith No More (2011).[5][6]

Early life and education

Zuckerman grew up in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California and studied at Santa Monica College. He transferred to the University of Oregon in Eugene, and there earned a Bachelor of Arts (1992), Master of Arts (1995), and Doctor of Philosophy (1998), all in sociology.[7]

Career

Zuckerman is a professor at Claremont Graduate University, and has been a guest professor at the Aarhus University in Denmark, one of the world’s most secular countries.[8]

His research interests are secularity, atheism, apostasy, and Scandinavian culture.[9]

Published work

Phil Zuckerman's analysis finds differing levels of atheists and agnostics in countries around the world [10]

Phil Zuckerman's 2008 book Society without God notes that Denmark and Sweden, "probably the least religious countries in the world, and possibly in the history of the world", enjoy "among the lowest violent crime rates in the world [and] the lowest levels of corruption in the world".[11] Zuckerman identifies that Scandinavians have "relatively high rates of petty crime and burglary", but "their overall rates of violent crime—such as murder, aggravated assault, and rape—are among the lowest on earth" [12] In 2009, New York Times columnist Peter Steinfels commented that Society Without God provides evidence that an irreligious society can flourish.[13]

Zuckerman's Living the Secular Life: New Answers to Old Questions was released in 2014.[14]

The American Humanist Association has featured Zuckerman as a speaker on rising Irreligion in the United States.[2] Zuckerman is on the editorial board of Secularism and Nonreligion and is a convener of the Non-religion and Secularity Research Network conference.[15][16]

Public commentary

Zuckerman has commented that 20% of the United States are irreligious, and 30% of citizens under 30 are.[17] Zuckerman has commented that religion is often conflated with patriotism in the United States.[18] He has argued that the majority of nontheists in America are not drawn to the "aggressive form of atheism" of American Atheists.[19]

Zuckerman has found that murder rates in Scandinavian countries lowered after abolishing the death penalty, and has opposed the use in the United States.[20]

Zuckerman has found that the religiously unaffiliated tend to be more inclined to progressive politics, and the decline in Protestant Christianity in America is a blow to conservative causes.[21] Zuckerman has commented on the rise of secular Judaism.[22] Zuckerman commented that growing atheist movements in the United States were a response to the impact of the Christian Right.[23]

Secular studies program

In 2011 he founded and currently chairs the first Secular Studies program[24] When the secular studies program was announced, the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture at Trinity College noted it was the first program to offer a degree in secular studies.[25] The program lets students major in Secular Studies, including in a core course "Sociology of Secularity".[26][27] The first student to graduate from Pitzer College with a degree in secular studies was the first student in the United States with such a major.[28]

Personal life

Zuckerman lives in Claremont, California with his wife and three children.[29]

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Zuckerman, Phil - Library of Congress Name Authority File". Library of Congress. 2003-03-31. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "American Humanist Association Annual Conference Speakers - Phil Zuckerman". American Humanist Association.
  3. ↑ "Secular Studies". Pitzer College.
  4. ↑ "Phil Zuckerman, PhD - Professor of Sociology". Pitzer College.
  5. ↑ "Guardian profile". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Foreword Magazine's Book of the Year award". ForeWord Review. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Bio". PhilZuckerman.com. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  8. ↑ Laurie Goodstein (May 7, 2011). "Pitzer College in California Adds Major in Secularism". The New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Faculty Home Page". Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  10. ↑ Atheism: Contemporary Rates and Patterns, in: Michael Martin (ed.): The Cambridge Companion to Atheism. Cambridge University Press 2007
  11. ↑ Zuckerman, Phil. Society Without God: What the Least Religious Nations Can Tell Us about Contentment. New York: New York University Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-8147-9714-3. Zuckerman's work is based on his studies conducted during a 14-month period in Scandinavia in 2005–2006.
  12. ↑ (Zuckerman 2008, pp. 5–6)
  13. ↑ Peter Steinfels (February 27, 2009). "Scandinavian Nonbelievers, Which Is Not to Say Atheists". The New York Times.
  14. ↑ "'Living the Secular Life,' by Phil Zuckerman". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ "First Academic Journal Dedicated to Secular Studies to be Launched". Trinity College. July 25, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Call for Papers: Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network, 3rd International Conference, 19-20 November 2014". Association for the Sociology of Religion. Feb 19, 2014.
  17. ↑ Mandalit del Barco (January 7, 2014). "Sunday Assembly: A Church For The Godless Picks Up Steam". NPR.
  18. ↑ "Atheist 'mega-churches' look for nonbelievers". USA Today. November 10, 2013.
  19. ↑ Kimberly Winston (Mar 31, 2013). "American Atheists wrestles with its cherished 'grumpy' image". The Christian Century.
  20. ↑ Jess Davis (May 7, 2014). "Democracy and the Death Penalty". Claremont Portside. Generation Progress.
  21. ↑ LAURIE GOODSTEIN (October 9, 2012). "Percentage of Protestant Americans Is in Steep Decline, Study Finds". The New York Times.
  22. ↑ BEN ZEHAVI (October 3, 2013). "Rise of 'Jews of no religion' most significant find of Pew study, says director". The Times of Israel.
  23. ↑ Manya A. Brachear (June 16, 2010). "Secularists spreading the word". Chicago Tribune.
  24. ↑ "Pitzer College: Secular Studies". Pitzer College. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  25. ↑ Kimberly Winston (August 4, 2011). "Pitzer College Adds Secular Studies Program As Part Of Growing Trend". Huffington Post.
  26. ↑ Arielle Zionts (October 18, 2011). "Studying Non-Believers". Claremont Portside. Generation Progress.
  27. ↑ Alan Jacobs (May 20, 2011). "A Bachelor's Degree in Atheism". The Wall Street Journal.
  28. ↑ Phil Zuckerman (15 August 2013). "Student Graduates With Degree in Secular Studies". Huffpost Religion.
  29. ↑ "Phil Zuckerman - CFI speakers". Center for Inquiry.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/28/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.