New Age och pseudovetenskap i tidskriften Sans -en analys

Abstract

Critique regarding religious practices has become more and more apparent in today's society. Sans magazine has become a voice in the Swedish debate regarding religions undertakings and have received opposition from various directions. As Sans magazine, issue no.1, is accused of being islamophobic, the critique is focused on the internal discourse within the atheist and agnostic society. As Sans issue no.2 came out, it did not focus on Islam or any of the abrahamic religions but instead it discussed New age and the nature of pseudoscience. I sought to evolve the didactic discource regarding ”truth” and ”reality” by finding if the discourse within Sans is apparent and if so, what it is based upon. The analysis also focuses on the terms used to describe new age and pseudoscience. This analysis is based upon the theory of social constructionism. I am using discourse- and text analysis as the primary methods. The results show that Sans (2011) does not define New Age in any apparent way. The writers in Sans (2011) instead focuses on the dangers of relativism and the nature of scientific truth. Sans is a part of a certain kind of scientific, atheist or agnostic discourse. Failure to adhere to this particular form of discourse results in the writers rejection of such opposing ideas.