Berkley Center

For "From Modernization to Secularization to Globalization," José Casanova writes on the course of his career, following first his choice to go into the field of sociology and then the arc of his research, from modernization to secularization to globalization. Casanova explains how his interest in modernization emerged from his own life, as he moved from a small village in Fascist Spain to New York City to study, initially focusing on theology. Casanova first looked at the role of Opus Dei in Spain's modernization, though not through a traditional religious lens; he then describes how he studied religious groups, though at first through a secular understanding. However, Casanova felt compelled to write Public Religions in the Modern World after the dramatic rise of religious forces in the late 1970s, such as the Iranian Revolution and the election of Pope John Paul II. Casanova also engages in several discussions about his seminal work, looking at how it applies to different regions and time periods. Finally, Casanova looks at how religion interacts with globalization, a theme that has dominated his work in recent years, and its impact on revisions to modernization theory. This article was published in Religion and Society: Advances in Research.