Atheist Identity and Lifestyle Among Activists in Edmonton

Abstract

This dissertation joins a vibrant conversation about atheism in Canada. Although the sociology of non-religion has exploded in the last decade, Canada remains an understudied component of atheism research. Consequently, the focus of this research is secularist activists in a major Canadian city, and how they negotiate differences and intra-movement conflict while pursuing highly individualistic activist identities. Drawing on qualitative data from participant observation and interviews, I make an empirical contribution to the study of Canadian atheism. Additionally, this dissertation contributes to lifestyle movement theory, a framework that undergirds much of the empirical work in the following pages. I found that many atheists saw themselves as activists despite their reticence to engage in organizationally oriented collective action. Despite their lack of conventional participation, they saw themselves as principled actors with morally coherent projects based on Enlightenment values, and that those private, individualized actions potentially could change the world for the better. Even in the absence of such optimism, many of my participants pursued a reason-driven life in any capacity that allowed them to maintain their individuality. Given the emergence of new atheism and more specific currents within the atheist movement, many secularists felt compelled towards intellectual homogeneity for the sake of mobilization and the movement’s continuing health. In response to these pressures, my participants deliberately iii adopted a contrarian lifestyle that preserved their quest for authenticity as well as other ideals such as scientific skepticism and critical thinking.