The Nones of Mombasa: Religious Disbelief and Disaffiliation on the East African Coast

Abstract

Abstract Religious disbelief (RDb) and religious disaffiliation (RDa), which describe the intellectual, cultural, and social lives of contemporary citizens referred to as “Nones” (i.e., “none of the above” as a respondent’s choice among religious options), are emerging as sociological categories of increasing interest to religious studies scholars. Much of the research done thus far focuses on Western nations and religions. This study and the observations herein apply some of these same interests and methods to the African nonreligious scene. As a field site, the cosmopolitan city of Mombasa (pop. 1.2 million) on the Kenyan coast has for many recent generations been home to a variety of African, Arab, Indian-Asian, and European races, cultures, and religions. African Traditional Religions (ATRs), Islam(s), Indian religions, and Christianities all have a presence in this religiously pluralistic milieu. In this cosmopolitan context, we should expect to find among urban Africans some representation of trends found across the world, one of which is a potentially growing, if silent and low-profile, population called “Nones.”