The Demography of Religious Change in the West Eric Kaufmann Birkbeck College, University of London
Religion in the West Loss through secularization Moderation of slide by resistant remnant, notably fundamentalists Gain through demography
Demography and Religion Indirect: poor, less educated and rural people have more children than urban, wealthy, educated Direct: Religious have more children than seculars; fundamentalists more than moderates
The Religious Tropics: Total Fertility Rates by Country, 2008 Source: CIA World Fact Book 2008
Indirect Effect: Expansion of Islam; Conversion Effect: Decline of Animists; Both: Decline of Seculars
Direct Effect: Religiosity and Fertility in Europe and USA United States, 2006 (GSS)
Source: Goujon et al Projected Nonreligious Population of Austria to 2051, 36 Scenarios
Similar Dynamics in USA
Religion in the West Loss through secularization Moderation of slide by resistant remnant Gain through demography – Indirect through global migration – Direct, through higher fertility Fundamentalists maximize gains, minimize losses