Article 'Religieuze moderniteiten. Uitdaging voor ontwikkelingssamenwerking' (dr. Welmoet Boender, April 2007)

06 April 2007Download (35.9 KB)

Until recently, scientists thought that modernity will automatically lead towards secularisation. An increase in prosperity, economic growth, education and health systems will eventually lead to a decrease in the relevance of religion. However, religion has not disappeared with modernity.

Nowadays, we speak of a 'transformation' rather than a 'disappearance' of religion under the influence of modernity. In the United States and Europe, fundamental groups have risen. In Latin America and Africa, Pentecostalism continues to grow. Local contexts give modernity different colors. This is called 'glocalisation' or 'multiple modernity'.

Is there just one (secular) modernity? Or are there other forms of modernity, such as Christian modernity, Islamic modernity and Hinduistic modernity? What does this mean for the Dutch development sector? This article (in Dutch) tries to answer these questions.

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