This book seeks to argue that religious actors play a crucial role in the complex processes of entering or re-entering the public spheres of state, political, and civil society. Seeking to ameliorate the analytical lacuna and concentrating on both the meso and micro levels of religious public involvement, the contributors explain how representatives from religious and political institutions act and interact in a variety of ways for various purposes. Analysing empirical examples from both Europe and beyond, and including a variety of religions, including multi-faith platforms, the volume examines selected religious actors' objectives, means and strategies and effects in order to address the following questions: * What are selected religious actors' public and/or political activities and objectives? * In what ways and with what results do selected religious actors operate in various public spheres? * What are the consequences of religious actors' political involvement, and which factors condition the degree to which they are successful? Whilst focusing mainly on Europe, the book also utilizes examples from Egypt, Turkey and the USA to provide a valuable and unique comparative focus. The contributors demonstrate that various religious actors, whether functioning as interest groups or social movements, and almost irrespective of the religious tradition to which they belong and the culture from which they emanate, do not necessarily differ markedly in terms of strategies. This important study will be of great interest to all scholars of International Politics, Religion, and Public Policy.

A leading authority in the discipline, Jeffrey Haynes has contributed to many of the most significant debates in the fields of religion & politics and religion & international relations in the last twenty years. This book brings together many of his most influential essays, offering a comprehensive analysis of religious actors and their political goals.

In recent years, scholars have identified a range of religious actors with a variety of political goals. The aim of this collection is to identify and examine political activities of selected religious actors in both domestic and international contexts. The introductory chapter sets the scene for the collection, providing a clear understanding of why, how and when religious actors act politically both within and between countries. Over the course of 15 essays, Jeffrey Haynes presents a survey of the interaction of religion and politics, both domestically and internationally, in relation to a variety of issues, and draws the findings together in a new conclusion written for the volume.

This work will be of great interest to the growing number of scholars and students and practitioners internationally who work on religion and politics, in both domestic and international contexts.

A leading authority in the discipline, Jeffrey Haynes has contributed to many of the most significant debates in the fields of religion & politics and religion & international relations in the last twenty years. This book brings together many of his most influential essays, offering a comprehensive analysis of religious actors and their political goals. In recent years, scholars have identified a range of religious actors with a variety of political goals. The aim of this collection is to identify and examine political activities of selected religious actors in both domestic and international contexts. The introductory chapter sets the scene for the collection, providing a clear understanding of why, how and when religious actors act politically both within and between countries. Over the course of 15 essays, Jeffrey Haynes presents a survey of the interaction of religion and politics, both domestically and internationally, in relation to a variety of issues, and draws the findings together in a new conclusion written for the volume. This work will be of great interest to the growing number of scholars and students and practitioners internationally who work on religion and politics, in both domestic and international contexts.

One of the most resilient ideas about societal development after World War II was that nations would inevitably secularise as they modernised. However, as we come to the end of the 'secular' twentieth century, it is obvious that religion continues to be an important factor in politics around the world. The author examines the continuing importance of religion, focusing upon the regions of Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

This book seeks to argue that religious actors play a crucial role in the complex processes of entering or re-entering the public spheres of state, political, and civil society. Seeking to ameliorate the analytical lacuna and concentrating on both the meso and micro levels of religious public involvement, the contributors explain how representatives from religious and political institutions act and interact in a variety of ways for various purposes. Analysing empirical examples from both Europe and beyond, and including a variety of religions, including multi-faith platforms, the volume examines selected religious actors' objectives, means and strategies and effects in order to address the following questions: * What are selected religious actors' public and/or political activities and objectives? * In what ways and with what results do selected religious actors operate in various public spheres? * What are the consequences of religious actors' political involvement, and which factors condition the degree to which they are successful? Whilst focusing mainly on Europe, the book also utilizes examples from Egypt, Turkey and the USA to provide a valuable and unique comparative focus. The contributors demonstrate that various religious actors, whether functioning as interest groups or social movements, and almost irrespective of the religious tradition to which they belong and the culture from which they emanate, do not necessarily differ markedly in terms of strategies. This important study will be of great interest to all scholars of International Politics, Religion, and Public Policy.

The book examines selected faith-based organisations (FBOs) and their attempts to seek to influence debate and decision-making at the United Nations (UN). Increasing attention on FBOs in this context has followed what is widely understood as a widespread, post-Cold War "religious resurgence." The bibliography is available digitally at the end of sample chapter, which can be downloaded on this page.

This book examines the experience of democracy in developing countries such as Mexico, Zambia, India and Indonesia. It considers the patchy democratic record of such countries, as well as investigating the relationship between external and domestic factors to democratisation. The contributors assess the importance to democratic progress of a number of key variables, including:
*the institutionalisation of political parties and electoral systems
* the role of civil society
*the influence of external actors, such as the European Union

This unique focus on the relationship between religion and political culture in the Third World uses a comparative and thematic approach. Specific issues of religion-politics interaction in the Third World in recent times include: the rise of Islamic fundamentalist groups throughout the Middle East and otherparts of the Muslim world; the political effects of the decline of Catholicism and the rapid growth of Protestant evangical sects in Latin America; communcal conflict between Hindu nationalist groups, and the politicization of Buddhism in South East Asia. The common effect of such developments is to challenge existing forms of relationship between states and societies with religion used as a political resource.

Die Vielfalt der empirisch nachweisbaren Beziehungen zwischen Politik und Religion lasst sich nicht einmal in, westlichen' Gesellschaften auf einen einfachen Nenner bringen. Der "Sakularisierung" stehen hier, wie die Beitrage des vorliegenden Bandes zeigen, deutliche Tendenzen einer Revitalisierung und Re-Politisierung von Religion gegenuber. Die Autoren untersuchen die unterschiedlichen Auspragungen des Verhaltnisses von Politik und Religion und seine vielfaltigen, teilweise gegenlaufigen Entwicklungen. Sie reflektieren diese an Hand spezifischer empirischer Fragestellungen zur Verfassungsordnung und politischen Kultur ausgewahlter Lander, fragen nach dem Einfluss religioser Orientierungen auf einzelne Politikfelder und analysieren Kirchen und Religionsgemeinschaften als politische Akteure auf der nationalen wie der internationalen Ebene."

This text focuses on the relationship between religion and political culture in the Third World using a comparative and thematic approach. Specific issues of religion-politics interaction in the Third World in recent times include: the rise of Islamic fundamentalist groups throughout the Middle East and other parts of the Muslim world; the political effects of the decline of Catholicism and the rapid growth of Protestant evangelical sects in Latin America; communal conflict between Hindu nationalist groups; and the politicization of Buddhism in South East Asia. The common effect of such developments is to challenge existing forms of relationship between states and societies with religion used as a political resource.;The book is suitable for departments of politics, sociology, ethnic and racial studies.

Contents:
1. Introduction: The 'Third World' and the 'Third Wave of Democracy' Jeff Haynes
2. Quality Assessment of Democracy in the 'Third World' Bruce Baker
3. Illiberal Democracy in the 'Third World' - An Empirical Enquiry Jan Engberg and Svante Ersson
4. Electoral Institutional Change and Democratisation - Or: Election Administrative Quality and the Legitimacy of 'Third World' Elections Jorgen Elklit
5. Party Institutionalisation and the New Democracies Vicky Randall and Lars Svasand
6. External Actors in Processes of Democratic Consolidation: the European Union and Malawi Armin K. Nolting
7. Democratic Transition and Consolidation in Mexico Darren Wallis
8. Taking Stock of Democracy in Zambia Peter Burnell
9. Political Parties and the Development of Indian Democracy Andrew Wyatt
10. Indonesia's Democratisation Olle Tornquist
11. Conclusions Jeff Haynes