Part I | Brief Summary

Category B | Principles

Topic 8 | Distinguishing secularism and secularity

Secularism takes many forms, but it often represents an ideology that promotes a secular state and the formation of secular citizens. Secularity, in contrast, is a more modest concept that is designed to provide a framework for pluralism. While secularism can degenerate into its own type of rigid fundamentalism, secularity can help create the constitutional space for individuals and groups to live together, even with deep differences with respect to religious or other systems of belief.