Ireland and Neo-Secularisation Theory

Although secularisation theory offers grand analytical possibilities for monitoring changing religious tendencies on political, social and cultural levels, it is greatly disadvantageous in accounting for particularities of small-scale variations in specific socio-geographic areas. Therefore, this paper argues that the neo-secularisation concept offers a greater sociological potential in this regard. Through the analysis of the macro, mezzo and micro levels of Irish social landscape, the paper provides an in-depth understanding of a changing religious field. The central arguments of the paper are tested against a variety of data including quantitative and qualitative studies.