Norms, stories, and ideologies: What we talk about when we talk about political secularism

In search of a common denominator, the first camp – let us for brevity’s sake call them “abolitionists” – may write on its banner the telling title of Veit Bader’s book Secularism or Democracy? (2007). Encapsulated in this rhetorically suggestive opposition, we can clearly see the basic claim defended by those who seek to overcome the normative and explanatory language of secularism altogether (Bader 2010; Connolly 1999). Secularism, on this account, poses a serious impediment to the flourishing of (liberal) democracies, whose defense is best provided by a robust constitutionalism. Thus we would be well advised to refrain from, and indeed abolish, any reference to secularism in our legal and political language.