Philip Gorski

Research question: Is the modern West as "disenchanted", "differentiated" and "rationalized" as Neo-Weberian theories of "secularization" claim?

When seen in world-historical perspective, and in comparison with most Asian societies, the cultural pluralism that characterizes the contemporary West is in fact quite normal. What stands out about Western history isn’t its so-called “secularity,” but rather its Medieval “unity.” This Medieval “unity” was marked by a highly independent religious field with clear boundaries, a strict hierarchy, and rigid orthodoxy. It’s only when we consider this background that contemporary culture can retrospectively appear “unique” or “peculiar.”

Philip Gorski wants to create a framework to better understand today’s situation and to outline a historical narrative that explains it. This framework uses field theory and three key distinctions: sacred/profane, transcendent/immanent, and monopoly/free market. The narrative argues that a series of unique historical events allowed the Roman church to claim a monopoly over legitimate sacred practices. This subsequently collapsed, leading to the fragmentation of the sacred.