Secular Studies Association Brussels (SSAB)

The Secular Studies Association Brussel (SSAB) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel brings together scholars committed to the interdisciplinary exploration of secularism and nonreligion, grounded in the university’s founding principle of free inquiry (vrij onderzoek). Building on a strong tradition of research in secular thought and Enlightenment philosophy, SSAB unites academics from history, philosophy, law, psychology, and education, while actively welcoming perspectives from other disciplines. As secular studies have grown into a global, interdisciplinary field, SSAB aims to make the VUB a leading voice in the academic study of secularism, with international collaboration at its core. The group's research spans five major areas: (1) Multiple Secularisms, examining secular organizations and their societal roles globally; (2) Death and Secularism, focusing on political-religious debates around burial and commemoration; (3) Freemasonry, exploring its historical role in secularizing public life; (4) Bioethics, investigating how secular values inform ethical debates and healthcare practices; and (5) Enlightenment and Freethinking, tracing critical thought from the early secular philosophers to contemporary critiques of modernity. SSAB’s work is further supported by collaborations with CAVA and Liberas, two archival institutions preserving the heritage of freethought and liberal secularism in Flanders. The group offers a broad and inclusive platform for advancing secular studies as a vital field for understanding belief, identity, and societal change in a diversifying world.