Religion and bioregionalism in Cascadia: The trouble with categories

Abstract Sociologists, anthropologists, and others interested in the relationship between reli- gion and contemporary society rely on conventional concepts such as religion, spirit- uality, irreligion, religious “nones,” secularization, and secularity that are bequeathed to us by previous generations of scholars. These are useful tools for our work, but from time to time we encounter a movement, an epoch, or a region that might make us question the adequacy of the concepts and methods we have inherited. In a major ongoing interdisciplinary study of the “Cascadia” bioregion of the Pacific Northwest of North America, I became convinced that the existing metaphors and tools at our disposal limited our ability to see and interpret the data we were collecting. In this Working Paper, I use the large data set my research team created to introduce the con- cept of “reverential naturalism,” a broad and naturalized schema or metanarrative which helps to explain the ways Cascadians think and talk about religion, spirituality, and nature. Although this metanarrative arguably permeates what we might call the dominant cultural rhetoric of the region, it is as yet so inchoate or subliminal that it is not easy to articulate. Here I identify some of this schema’s main features. At the end of this Working Paper, I address the ways in which this metanarrative generates additional questions that will enrich future reflections on religion both in this region and elsewher

Religion, spirituality, and secularity in the Pacific Northwest: Major themes

The configuration of religion, spirituality, and secularity characteristic of the Pacific Northwest region of North America (Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia) strikes many people as quite peculiar. In particular, the states and province that comprise “Cascadia” are associated with very low levels of religiosity when compared to the other states and provinces in the US and Canada. Although Cascadia is home to rapidly expanding Sikh, Buddhist, and Hindu communities, thriving yoga and new age sub-cultures, evangelical “mega-churches”, and a resurgence in Indigenous culture and spirituality, one might nonetheless say that it is the most secular region in North America. Initially my colleagues and I sought to address the social implications of the processes of secularization unfolding in the Pacific Northwest; the differences between the Canadian and US “sides” of this bioregion; and the barriers that might exist for traditional and usually conservative believers living in a post-institutional liberal environment. While these three considerations inform this project as a whole, each author also deals with empirical and theoretical issues related to their own academic interests, and with matters (such as the concerns of Indigenous Americans and Canadians) that became more central considerations during fieldwork. In this introductory chapter, I explain the theoretical and empirical context for our study. An additional Working Paper related to “reverential naturalism” articulates a novel addition to the theoretical tools normally used to asses religion and irreligion in western liberal democracies

Does a referral from home to hospital affect satisfaction with childbirth? A cross-national comparison

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Belgian and Dutch societies present many similarities but differ with regard to the organisation of maternity care. The Dutch way of giving birth is well known for its high percentage of home births and its low medical intervention rate. In contrast, home births in Belgium are uncommon and the medical model is taken for granted. Dutch and Belgian maternity care systems are compared with regard to the influence of being referred to specialist care during pregnancy or intrapartum while planning for a home birth. We expect that a referral will result in lower satisfaction with childbirth, especially in Belgium.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two questionnaires were filled out by 605 women, one at 30 weeks of pregnancy and one within the first two weeks after childbirth, either at home or in a hospital. Of these, 563 questionnaires were usable for analysis. Women were invited to participate in the study by independent midwives and obstetricians during antenatal visits in 2004–2005. Satisfaction with childbirth was measured by the Mackey Satisfaction with Childbirth Rating Scale, which takes into account the multidimensional nature of the concept.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Belgian women are more satisfied than Dutch women and home births are more satisfying than hospital births. Women who are referred to the hospital while planning for a home birth are less satisfied than women who planned to give birth in hospital and did. A referral has a greater negative impact on satisfaction for Dutch women.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is no reason to believe Dutch women receive hospital care of lesser quality than Belgian women in case of a referral. Belgian and Dutch attach different meaning to being referred, resulting in a different evaluation of childbirth. In the Dutch maternity care system home births lead to higher satisfaction, but once a referral to the hospital is necessary satisfaction drops and ends up lower than satisfaction with hospital births that were planned in advance. We need to understand more about referral processes and how women experience them.</p

Assessment of social psychological determinants of satisfaction with childbirth in a cross-national perspective

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The fulfilment of expectations, labour pain, personal control and self-efficacy determine the postpartum evaluation of birth. However, researchers have seldom considered the multiple determinants in one analysis. To explore to what extent the results can be generalised between countries, we analyse data of Belgian and Dutch women. Although Belgium and the Netherlands share the same language, geography and political system and have a common history, their health care systems diverge. The Belgian maternity care system corresponds to the ideal type of the medical model, whereas the Dutch system approaches the midwifery model. In this paper we examine multiple determinants, the fulfilment of expectations, labour pain, personal control and self-efficacy, for their association with satisfaction with childbirth in a cross-national perspective.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two questionnaires were filled out by 605 women, one at 30 weeks of pregnancy and one within the first 2 weeks after childbirth either at home or in a hospital. Of these, 560 questionnaires were usable for analysis. Women were invited to participate in the study by independent midwives and obstetricians during antenatal visits in 2004–2005. Satisfaction with childbirth was measured by the Mackey Satisfaction with Childbirth Rating Scale, which takes into account the multidimensional nature of the concept. Labour pain was rated retrospectively using Visual Analogue Scales. Personal control was assessed with the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire and Pearlin and Schooler's mastery scale. A hierarchical linear analysis was performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Satisfaction with childbirth benefited most consistently from the fulfilment of expectations. In addition, the experience of personal control buffered the lowering impact of labour pain. Women with high self-efficacy showed more satisfaction with self-, midwife- and physician-related aspects of the birth experience.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings focus the attention toward personal control, self-efficacy and expectations about childbirth. This study confirms the multidimensionality of childbirth satisfaction and demonstrates that different factors predict the various dimensions of satisfaction. The model applies to both Belgian and Dutch women. Cross-national comparative research should further assess the dependence of the determinants of childbirth satisfaction on the organisation of maternity care.</p