Phil Zuckerman is a sociology professor at Pitzer College, where he studied the lives of the nonreligious for years before founding a Department of Secular Studies, the first academic program in the nation dedicated to exclusively studying secular culture and the sociological consequences of America’s fastest-growing “faith.” Zuckerman discovered that despite the entrenched negative beliefs about nonreligious people, American secular culture is grounded in deep morality and proactive citizenship—indeed, some of the very best that the country has to offer.

Drawing on groundbreaking sociological research and extensive in-depth interviews with men and women across the country, LIVING THE SECULAR LIFE illuminates this demographic shift with the moral convictions that govern secular individuals.

In an interview, Zuckerman can discuss:
•How secular Americans are constructing their own communities by building institutions and cultivating relationships without religious influence.
•Eye-opening research that reveals the enduring moral strength of children raised without religion.
•The hardships experienced by secular mothers in the rural South, where church attendance defines the public space.
•The unique moral code that allows nonreligious Americans to effectively navigate the complexities of modern life: Spiritual self-reliance, clear-eyed pragmatism, a commitment to living in the here and now, and an abiding faith in the Golden Rule to adjudicate moral decisions.
•The real-life stories and beliefs of individuals who have chosen to live a secular life that demonstrates these principles in action and points to their usage throughout daily life: from helping individuals to cope with trying times, to dealing with death, to guiding how they raise their children.

A manifesto for a booming social movement—and a revelatory survey of this overlooked community—LIVING THE SECULAR LIFE offers essential and long-awaited information for anyone building a life based on his or her own principles.

www.PhilZuckerman.com
Follow Phil on Twitter: @phil_zuckerman