Group Societies, Religions, Laicities - GSRL, UMR 8582
The GSRL (UMR 8582) (then the Sociology of Religions and Secularism Group, the current name since 2006) was created on January 1, 1995 by Jean Baubérot, with some of the members of the GSR (Sociology of Religions Group), of the CNRS and the young HSL (History and Sociology of Secularism) team of the EPHE-PSL. Since then, it has continuously grown in the number of members, and in the diversity of its study objects and geographical areas. It has been successively directed by Jean Baubérot (1995-2001), Jean-Paul Willaime (2002-2008), Philippe Portier (2008-2018), Sébastien Fath (2019-2020), Pascal Bourdeaux (interim from September to December 2020), and then Alfonsina Bellio since 2021. Until July 2023, its Deputy Director was Marie-Dominique Even. Since January 2025, its Deputy Directors have been Detelina Tocheva and Corinne Valasik.
The social sciences of religion are currently facing a strong social demand for information and analysis on current religious changes, the characteristics and developments of particular religious worlds, questions and controversies relating to the expression of religious identities in social life, and secularism and the challenges it faces. Whether through participation in scientific events or engagement in national and international debates, the members of the GSRL (UMR 8582) always seek to situate their scientific contribution within debates where the actors themselves seek analyses that objectify situations and the diverse interpretations they give rise to.
The GSRL (UMR 8582) meets for a monthly internal seminar and during study days; it also regularly organizes major international conferences.
The members of the GSRL (UMR 8582) teach at various institutions, particularly at the École Pratique des Hautes Études. In addition to collective and individual works, the GSRL contributes to the publication of the journal Archives de Sciences Sociales des Religions.
Director: Alfonsina Bellio
Deputy Directors: Detelina Tocheva, Corinne Valasik
Unit website: https://gsrl-cnrs.fr/?lang=en
