The Impact of Secular World View on the youth population of Pakistan

Abstract

The term Secularism, although used frequently, is subject to a variety of meanings. Despite being a subject of criticism by many scholars, the Secularization thesis still plays an important role in defining the main academic discourse on religion. The main contention of this thesis has been the claim that as societies become more modernized, the influence of religions will dramatically decline. However, in recent times, this thesis has come under a thorough critique, due to a perceived rise in the role of religion, even in Western societies. The encounter of Secularism, as an ideology, with the Muslim world, linked mainly with the colonial project, has also been a subject of study by many scholars. The Muslim case has been considered particularly special, because of the still prominent role that religion plays in Muslim societies. Pakistan is a case in point, in that religion has been considered to be the central impetus in the formation of the country in 1947. The main aim of the present study was to determine the impact of the Secular world-view on the youth population of Pakistan. To do this, data from surveys and pre-existing literature was analyzed. The data showed that a clear majority of the youth population of Pakistan still consider religion to be an important part of their lives. Furthermore, a majority identify themselves primarily as Muslims; indicating the role that religion can play in forming a transnational identity. Thus, the Secularization thesis is not an adequate theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics of a society like Pakistan. This paper proposes that new theoretical models be formulated, which take into account cultural, religious, historical factors into account.