National study on local religious communities
The second wave of the national study on local religious groups (NCSS 2), led by Professor Jörg Stolz, aims to sociologically describe and explain the evolution of the Swiss religious field since 2008. To do this, it analyzes local religious groups (parishes, mosques, spiritual centers, etc.) across the country and in all religious traditions. Following the methodological approach adopted in the first wave (NCSS 1), this research addresses the following two questions:
- How has religious diversity in Switzerland evolved between 2008 and 2020?
- How can the field of local religious groups in Switzerland be described in terms of spiritual and social activities, and how has this field changed?
Methods
The NCSS 1 survey was the first in Europe to comprehensively census local religious groups on a national scale. Based on this census, more than a thousand groups were sampled and responded to a questionnaire that provided representative and original data. The second wave, NCSS 2, allows for an analysis of how religious groups have evolved since the first wave, while also collecting new data (particularly on the impact of COVID-19 and the relationship between local religious groups and environmental issues).
In the first step, the census from the first wave was updated. A representative sample was then drawn, to which an updated version of the questionnaire used in the first wave was administered. More than 1,400 congregations participated in the NCSS 2 survey.
Results
Thanks to this study, we are creating the first comprehensive overview of the changes that have occurred in the religious field in Switzerland. We focus in particular on the following three areas of research:
- Religious diversity, its causes, and its effects
- The evolution of the role of women in local religious groups
- The relationship of religious groups to environmental issues
Other areas of research include the impact of COVID-19, the development of relationships between established religious groups and newcomers, changes in ritual styles, social activities, and political activities.
The NCSS 2 component focused on environmental issues in religious communities in Switzerland is led by Prof. Jens Köhrsen and his team (University of Basel) as part of the project « Are Religions Becoming Green? » (also funded by the SNSF).
The NCSS 2 is the first replication of a national survey on local religious groups in a European country. The results will also have significant social impact, as journalists, politicians, and leaders of religious groups can use them to support their evaluations and decisions.