Blurb:

Discussions about those who respond to surveys as having no
religion intensified when survey results reported an increase
in these responses. The common identification of these respondents
as “Nones” did not arise from the survey respondents
themselves but involved sociologists and the media in the construction
of a group from diverse respondents. This label traces
back to the 1960s when Glenn Vernon encouraged greater
attention to these respondents, and has been a topic of analysis
ever since. Multiple surveys employ different questions and
response options, and the characteristics of those identified as
nones show significant diversity in practice and belief, yet many
still gloss this variety as “Nones.” Various organizations and
institutions have used this newly constructed group for their
own purposes. The formation of the nones also reflects various
ideological assumptions such as individualism and nostalgia
for a time with clear religious identifications. The attempt in
this chapter is to understand the dynamics of the construction of
the nones, which illustrates the ways identifications and groups
come into existence.