Religion as a Political Instrument
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 1487
Special Issue Editor
Interests: religion (especially Christianity) in international relations; issues of political power (hard, smart, soft); political-ideological aspects of present-day Russia in the context of its relations with other post-Soviet states and also with the West (the U.S.)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Religion and politics became increasingly intertwined at the beginning of the 21st century. The 9/11 terrorist attacks organized and committed by the religiously motivated Al Qaeda in the heart of the Western world sparked a new era of global politics, in which religion became the subject of foreign-policy analyses. With the exception of the West, or more precisely the western environment (there is a long-term persistent process of secularisation), it is possible to observe the increasing activities of various religious organizations in the world. These organisations (Buddhist, Hinduist, Christian and Muslim) have considerable influence and in many cases cooperate with the ruling elites. In many cases, they thus become a tool of political parties and rulers. In other words, religion can be an effective instrument in politics. This has been a phenomenon all over the ages and different political contexts. Politicians utilise religion in order to gain political goals. This Special Issue wants to investigate the reasons why religious instrument is such an effective instrument within politics.
This Special Issue will try to answer the key questions: What religious organizations and churches cooperate with state bodies (ruling elites) in the world? What are the specific forms of this cooperation (relationship)? Can religious organizations be a tool of manipulation and coercion in the pursuit of state goals? A Special Issue will receive contributions that touch on different religious organizations in the world, which are in various relationships with political subjects. They can cooperate with political elites and the relationship is balanced. However, this relationship can also be unbalanced. A religious organization or a church can act as a tool through which state power enforces certain measures.
Dr. Martin Solík
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- political elites
- political instrument
- religious organisations
- churches
- relationship
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