About the project

Religious memory, youth and secularisation in Modern Greek society

The study of young people (youth sociology) is a scientific field that is not particularly developed in the Greek academic community. Furthermore, and with very few exceptions, research on the religious and/or spiritual beliefs and practices of young people (cultural sociology/sociology of religion) is even less developed.

Therefore, due to the observed absence of significant and systematic sociological and anthropological research, both quantitative and qualitative, on religion and young people in Greek society, ReMYS aims to fill a significant gap in the Greek academic space. For this reason, the aim of the present research is to delve deeper and, through a combination of methods and data triangulation, examine the experiences, reasons, motivations, emotions, ideas, etc. of young people regarding religion, in order to provide reliable findings in contrast to the often superficial representations of the mass media regarding the perceptions and beliefs of young people, as well as their inclusion regarding issues related to religion and spiritual pursuits.

Research questions

What are the religious beliefs and attitudes of young people towards religion (or religions) in general and the Orthodox religion and Church in particular? How did they form these beliefs and attitudes?
Are young people moving away from the religious beliefs of their parents/family, how does this happen and what are the reasons for this?
What role does religion and/or spirituality play or did they play in their daily lives?
Do young people become culturally/nominally Orthodox Christians? Why? Through what kinds of processes and life paths?
Do young people believe without belonging to any religion or organized form (e.g. Church) or do they belong for cultural reasons without believing?
How do they shape their religious, spiritual or non-religious identity?
Does religion function as a chain of religious memory passed down from generation to generation?
Are young people concerned about issues such as Church-State relations, politics and religion, cremation, abortion, civil marriage, premarital sexual relations, and other social issues in relation to religion?
What is the relationship between religion and nation and religion and tradition?
Are there gender and/or social class differences?
Are young people more secular or more receptive to secular ideas compared to their family?
Have they sought out other religions or new/'alternative' religious movements in order to join the process of moving away from the traditional family religion?
What is the future of religion(s) in Greek society?

Research method

The first stages of the project will involve the collection and analysis of the majority of existing studies (quantitative and qualitative) in order to provide an overview of the field and prepare for the field research that will follow. The next step will involve conducting a quantitative survey (approximately 500 questionnaires) focusing on young people (18-35 years old) through an online structured questionnaire.

This part will highlight the main themes and provide the ground for deeper analysis through the subsequent qualitative part, which will include approximately 70-80 semi-structured interviews and 3-6 focus groups with young people and parents.

Objective

To seek, understand and delve into the views, perceptions and attitudes of young people towards religion (or religions) in general and the Orthodox Religion and Church in Greece in particular.
To understand and explain their religious, spiritual or non-religious beliefs and the role that religion, non-religion and spirituality play or have played in shaping their identity.
To understand and explain the role of the family in shaping the religious identity of young people and to look for possible changes in the transfer of religious beliefs from parents to children.

The research project has received approval from the ethics committee of the University of the Aegean.