Towards Critical Secular Studies in Education: addressing secular education formations and their intersecting inequalities

Figures & data

Table 1. Most frequent ways the term ‘secular’ is discussed/conceptualised.

Row	Conceptualisation of the term ‘secular’	Frequency
1	A concept entangled with, non-oppositional to, or in a dialectical relationship with notions of ‘the religious’	35
2	A de-theologised societal form (e.g. institution, space, subjectivity, symbol, concept) underpinned by historically dominant concepts of religious and/or national identity	34
3	A non-confessional form of education	22
4	A post-Enlightenment, modernist form of scientific or literary knowing distinguishable from religious faith/knowledge	21
5	A non-religious, rational, atheist or humanist personal worldview	21

Table 2. Most frequent ways ‘secularism’ is discussed/conceptualised.

Row	Conceptualisation of the term ‘secularism’	Frequency
1	A political ideology which decouples state from religious authority, and may offer religious freedom and equality	12
2	A diverse set of ideologies from moderate recognition of religion in public, to institutional ‘atheism’, to authoritarian purging of religion	11
3	A political ideology that may present a problematic, partial and/or oppositional notion of religion	10
4	A social movement or political stance	9
5	A political ideology that may retain a privileged position for the majority religion or national group	8

Table 3. Most frequent ways the term ‘post-secular’ is discussed/conceptualised.

Row	Conceptualisation of the term ‘postsecular’	Frequency
1	As a society (that may require increased awareness of the endurance or re-emergence of religion in old and new forms, and/or a reflexive, mutual learning stance towards religious or secular others)	26
2	As a conceptual turn (indicating a rethink of secularisation as a linear historical process, an affirmative focus on hermeneutic, intercultural translations of secular/religious meanings and texts, a philosophical re-engagement with spirituality and affect, and/or greater attention to the role of capitalism in secular-religious/public-private relations)	24
3	As a contested concept (which may be too diversely used to be meaningful, or; overstate its relevance given secular societies were never devoid of religion, or; overstate its relevance given the continued strength of secular governance; or overemphasise Global Northern interests)	14