title: Meaning and importance of the practice of religion amongst adolescents in Senegal.
abstract: In view of the growing importance of religion in Senegal, 950 Wolof speaking secondary school students were asked to comment upon the meaning and importance they gave to the practice of religion, and whether they believed it had any consequence on their lives and their country at large. An analysis of answers provided shows a large predominance of the practice of religion due to several reasons; historical, political and social, despite a minor trend of peripheral contest (10% of subjects said they don't believe in destiny nor in the importance of religious practice). Likewise the belief in the idea of destiny, i.e. that one's life was decided beforehand, did not seem to contradict the largely expressed need to be actively involved in the economic development of the country.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012067:Religion; D012675:Senegal