Curating Spaces of Hope: A New Paradigm of Postsecular Partnership for Uncertain Times

Abstract

In this paper, Curating Spaces of Hope is offered as a new paradigm for postsecular partnership for uncertain times. The need for a new paradigm is set out intially using literatures from faith based organisations. The case is made that the understanding of faith or the ‘F’ is inadequate, and that in order to make sense of the role it plays in social policy, a fresh framing is needed. For this, literatures from political philosophy, sociology or religion and social policy are engaged. These set out the space for mapping different worldviews, as part of the diversifying beleif landscape in the UK, and the policy context into which they are speaking. The paper then turns to empircal data to make the case for the new paradigm of postsecualr partnership, Curating Spaces of Hope. This case is made in three phases. First auto-ethnographic data is used as the basis for a social movement in the north west of England which takes place over 3 years. This is used as the premise for ethnographic research which maps postsecular contexts and informs the production of Curating Spaces of Hope. The paper then turns to the COVID-19 pandemic, as a lens through which to view current contexts of uncertainty. Three case studies are then offered which point to early applications of Curating Spaces of Hope and opportunities for building postsecular partnerships in the north west England.