Secularism and Its Ambiguities
Three Case Studies
Is the world we inhabit secular or religious – or both? Obviously, the answer depends from the place we inhabit, from the social environment we belong, and also from the different meanings attached to the word “secularism”. (Recently, I have been told that in India “secularism” means “openness to all religions”). But there is no doubt that the relationship between secularism and religions – punctuated by tensions, contentions, hybridizations – is full of ambiguities. The aim of these lectures is to contribute to a better (and badly needed) understanding of these issues.
December 3 - I: Forging the People
Machiavelli, Michelangelo
In the western tradition of secularism Machiavelli, and Machiavellianism, are a crucial point of reference. The first lecture will approach their intricate relationship, approaching them from an unexpected point of view: the long-term trajectory of a metaphor.