Almost a quarter of Canadian and American adults are nonreligious, while youth are even more likely to identify as such. None of the Above explores the growing phenomenon of these “religious nones” in North America. Who are they, why and where is this population growing, and what impact are they having on today’s societal and political trends?

While the impact of secularism in both Europe and the United States has received much attention of late, little work has been done in Canada. In None of the Above, two Canadian scholars set about collecting current data in order to understand how a nonreligious identity impacts daily life in Canada, with comparisons to those living in the US. Though they find similarities, they also find key differences. With more nonreligious people living in Canada than in the US, the authors suggest that a growing divide between religious and nonreligious populations could engender a greater distance in moral and political values and behaviours than ever before.

“Greatly advances our knowledge about nonreligion in North America. Thiessen and Wilkins-Laflamme add a much-needed comparative perspective, provide the most in-depth analysis of nonreligion in Canada available, and expertly use mixed methods to narrate in rich detail both the long-term trends in nonreligion and the lived experiences of secular individuals. . . . Essential reading for understanding important changes to religion and society in both the US and Canada.” —Joseph O. Baker, author of American Secularism

“Clearly written and highly accessible, this book will make a significant contribution to the sociological study of religious nones in North America.” —Chad Seales, author of Religion Around Bono and The Secular Spectacle

“A unique and especially welcome addition to the field. The empirical foundations of this work mark it out as superior to other books in this area. An excellent treatment of an important topic.” —David Voas, co-director of the British Religion in Numbers Project

Joel Thiessen is Professor of Sociology at Ambrose University in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. His books include The Meaning of Sunday: The Practice of Belief in a Secular Age and The Sociology of Religion: A Canadian Perspective (with Lorne L. Dawson). His research interests include religious nones, congregations, and millennials. For more, see www.joelthiessen.ca.

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Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme is Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. She completed her DPhil (PhD equivalent) in sociology at the University of Oxford. Her research interests include quantitative methods, sociology of religion, immigration and ethnicity and political sociology.

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