Secularism is an academic concept and research field analyzing the principles and dynamics governing the ordering of public and social life through the functional differentiation and independence of state institutions from religious authorities and doctrines. It investigates the historical development, diverse manifestations, and societal impacts of this separation, examining how public spheres are established and justified on non-religious grounds, which constitutes a distinct domain of inquiry from the natural physical processes described by fields like nuclear physics. Key characteristics include the separation of state and religious institutions, state neutrality regarding religious beliefs, and the basis of public law and policy in secular reasoning. Its significance lies in understanding the relationship between religion, power, and public life in modern, pluralistic societies.