“The Concept of Religious Freedom Amidst Secularization and Trumpism”

• In Event: Social Movements & Government

Abstract

This paper present initial ideas on analyzing the claims and contests that surround the concept of religious freedom in a time of secularization, liberalization, and now possible “re-alignment” following the 2016 Trump (and House and Senate) election.
At the same time, the liberalization of some aspects of American’s’ personal morality decisions – same-sex marriage as the greatest example, but also growing instances of recreational use of marijuana and aid-in-dying reforms – depicts a liberalizing America along many of these dimensions. Concurrently, America is growing less religious, especially when viewed from the vantage points of millennial Americans (a trend which parallels many of our Western European counterparts).
The spread of conscience clause and waiver legislation and processes will be analyzed, as one response to the growing set of laws that promote a liberalized vision of personal morality laws, away from a “traditional values” or social conservative perspective.
The paper will also attempt a taxonomy of the various efforts, some reflected in national or state-level bills and enacted laws. Some attention will be paid to the promise of a circulated White House draft memo on this topic form February 2017.

Author

• John Dombrink, University of California, Irvine