Religion and politics Books

Book SynopsisIn Locating Politics in Ethiopia's Irreecha Ritual Serawit Bekele Debele gives an account of politics and political processes in contemporary Ethiopia as manifested in the annual ritual performance. Mobilizing various sources such as archives, oral accounts, conversations, videos, newspapers, and personal observations, Debele critically analyses political processes and how they are experienced, made sense of and articulated across generational, educational, religious, gender and ethnic differences as well as political persuasions. Moreover, she engages Irreecha in relation to the hugely contested meaning making processes attached to the Thanksgiving ritual which has now become an integral part of Oromo national identity.

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Book SynopsisGlobal Religious and Secular Dynamics integrates European theories of modern secularization and theories of global religious revival as interrelated dynamics. Casanova contrasts the internal European road of secularization with the external colonial road of global interreligious encounters and the globalization of the secular immanent frame with the expansion of global religious denominationalism.

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Book SynopsisFew Roman emperors enjoy such fame as Flavius Claudius Iulianus – although he was sole ruler of the Roman Empire for only eighteen months (361-363). Since his early death he has been known as Julian the Apostate – the nephew of Constantine the Great who in vain tried to reverse the transformation of the Imperium Romanum into a Christian Empire. This companion synthesizes research on Julian conducted in many languages over the last decades and develops new perspectives. The authors scrutinize the voluminous and variegated sources for Julian's life and rule and reflect on the perceptions of modern research. Since Julian is the subject of scholarly discussion in various fields, this companion offers an interdisciplinary dialogue in which experts from many countries participate. Contributors are Bruno Bleckmann, Scott Bradbury, Peter Heather, Arnaldo Marcone, Neil McLynn, Heinz-Günther Nesselrath, Stefan Rebenich, Christoph Riedweg, Sebastian Schmidt-Hofner, Peter van Nuffelen, Konrad Vössing, Hans-Ulrich Wiemer.Trade Review"There is much to admire and be inspired by in the volume. [...] there are excellent discussions in the volume, and it is evident that debates about the interpretation of Julian and his actions will continue". Shaun Tougher, in The Byzantine Review, 2020. "The Companion to Julian the Apostate is to be commended for its range of coverage, which mirrors the diverse disciplinary interests in Julian.[...] The Companion thus fills a gap. To my knowledge there is no other single resource on Julian that can serve as a gateway into the many sub-specialties that examine his life, writings, and legacy.[...] The Companion to Julian the Apostate will be a useful tool for anyone wishing to survey any number of topics about Julian or to join the interpretive fray themselves". Brad Boswell, in Bryn Mawr Classical Review (February 2021). [...] "the volume is a success. The individual chapters are well written, nicely judged and provide very good introductions to the subjects that they discuss. The authors are very fair and restrained in their treatment of controversial issues and generally avoid inflicting their own pet theories on the reader.[...] The publication of this volume is extremely welcome because it serves as a very good introduction to the actions and writings of Julian as both Caesar and Augustus". David Woods, in The Classical Review . "Angesichts des nach wie vor großen wissenschaftlichen Interesses an Julian gehört dieser Sammelband in jede größere althistorische Bibliothek; [...] Die in den insgesamt dreizehn Aufsätzen behandelten Themen eignen sich gut – teilweise vorzüglich – zur Einarbeitung in die hier aufbereiteten Fragestellungen". Ulrich Lambrecht in Plekos "Alle Beiträge sind sehr solide, ausgezeichnet dokumentiert, was Quellen und Literatur angeht, zeichnen ein klares Bild von der gegenwärtigen wissenschaftlichen Diskussion und nehmen deutliche Standpunkte ein.Aber auch neue Impulse und eigene Interpretationen, meist zu Detailaspekten, fehlen nicht. Insbesondere verdient positiv hervorgehoben zu werden, dass sich alle Beiträger der problematischen Quellenlage zu Julian bewusst sind, und methodischen Fragen im Umgang mit den Quellen der gebührende Platz eingeräumt wird. Ausgesprochen nützlich sind die thematische Bibliographie am Ende des Bandes (ergänzt durch die Bibliographien der Einzelbeiträge) und die Darstellung der Quellen, Übersetzungen und Hilfsmittel zu Julian am Schluss der Einleitung. All dies macht diesen „Companion“ zum idealen Anlaufpunkt für alle, die sich über den Stand der historischen Forschung zu Julian informieren wollen". Stefan Schorn, in Neue Historische Literatur, 312 (2022).Table of ContentsContents Preface and Acknowledgments List of Illustrations Abbreviations Contributors Introduction  1 Introduction: Approaching Julian  Stefan Rebenich and Hans-Ulrich Wiemer  2 Julian’s Philosophical Writings  Heinz-Günther Nesselrath  3 The Gallic Wars of Julian Caesar  Peter J. Heather  4 From Caesar to Augustus: Julian against Constantius  Bruno Bleckmann  5 Reform, Routine, and Propaganda: Julian the Lawgiver  Sebastian Schmidt-Hofner  6 The Value of a Good Education: The School Law in Context  Konrad Vössing  7 Revival and Reform: The Religious Policy of Julian  Hans-Ulrich Wiemer  8 Anti-Christian Polemics and Pagan Onto-Theology: Julian’s Against the Galilaeans  Christoph Riedweg  9 Julian and the Jews  Scott Bradbury  10 The Persian Expedition  Neil McLynn  11 Pagan Reactions to Julian  Arnaldo Marcone  12 The Christian Reception of Julian  Peter van Nuffelen  13 Julian’s Afterlife. The Reception of a Roman Emperor  Stefan Rebenich Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTo what extent was the evolution of secularism in South and Southeast Asia between the end of the First World War and decolonisation after 1945 a result of transimperial and transnational patterns? To capture the diversity of twentieth-century secularisms, Clemens Six explores similarities resulting from translocal networks of ideas and practices since 1918. Six approaches these networks via a framework of global intellectual history, the history of transnational social networks, and the global history of non-state institutions. Empirically, he illustrates his argument with three case studies: the reception of Atatürk’s reforms across Asia and the Middle East; translocal women’s circles in the interwar period; and private US foundations after 1945.Table of ContentsThe Transnationality of the Secular Travelling Ideas and Shared Practices of Secularism in Decolonizing South and Southeast Asia  Clemens Six Abstract Keywords  Introduction: The Possibility of Global Secularism Studies  1 Transnational Discourses on Secularism  2 Social Networks for a Secular State  3 Circuits of Expertise and Geopolitics  4 Conclusions  Abbreviations  References

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Book SynopsisIn this selective overview of scholarship generated by The Hunger Games—the young adult dystopian fiction and film series which has won popular and critical acclaim—Zhange Ni showcases various investigations into the entanglement of religion and the arts in the new millennium. Ni introduces theories, methods, and the latest developments in the study of religion in relation to politics, audio/visual art, new media, material culture, and popular culture, whilst also reading The Hunger Games as a story that explores the variety, complexity, and ambiguity of enchantment. In popular texts such as this, religion and art—both broadly construed, that is, beyond conventional boundaries—converge in creating an enchantment that makes life more bearable and effects change in the world.Trade Review"...it offers an incredibly rare and valuable insight into a sparsely discussed scholarly field. Zhang does an admirable job at bringing together prison case studies and subsequently succeeds in granting the reader an invaluable insight into Míng popular religion." - J. Chadwin, University of Vienna, in: Religious Studies Review Volume 47, Number 3 (September 2021)Table of ContentsReligion and the Arts in The Hunger Games  Zhange Ni  Abstract  Keywords  1 Introduction  2 Enchantment I: Sovereign Power and Ritual Sacrifice  3 Enchantment II: Bare Life and the Religion/Art of Resistance  4 The Split Enchantment of The Hunger Games Reality Show  5 The Split Enchantment of Food and Clothing, the Game of Hungers  6 The Split Enchantment of The Hunger Games Transmedia Assemblage  Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis volume offers original research on religious freedom from around the globe. Individual chapters address the issues related to defining and understanding the concept of religious freedom and incorporate sociological thinking into interdisciplinary analysis of this topic. By interpreting legal cases, analyzing cross-national data, interviewing policy-makers, and reviewing policy-papers concerning religious freedom, the authors highlight the necessity of sociology engaging with other disciplines in this type of research. By applying theories of religious pluralism, secularity, secularization, judicialization of religion, “lived religion”, total institutions, and others, this volume contributes theoretical perspectives, sociological concepts and empirical analyses that highlight the development of religious freedom as an area of study in the social sciences.Table of ContentsFigures and Tables Notes on Contributors Introduction—Religious Freedom: Social-Scientific Approaches   Olga Breskaya, Roger Finke, and Giuseppe Giordan PART 1 Religious Freedom, Secularity and Secularism 1 How does Secularity “Travel”?: Toward a Policy Mobilities Approach in the Study of Religious Freedoms   Efe Peker 2 Religious Freedom, Legal Activism, and Muslim Personal Law in Contemporary India: A Sociological Exploration of Secularism   Anindita Chakrabarti 3 Religious Freedom and Secularism in Post-Revolutionary Tunisia   Anna Grasso 4 Religious Pluralism, Religious Freedom and the Secularization Process in the Greek Educational System   Alexandros Sakellariou PART 2 Multi-level Study of Religious Freedom 5 Regulating Sincerity: Religion, Law, Public Policy, and the Ambivalence of Religious Freedom in Pluralist Societies   Zaheeda P. Alibhai 6 The Religionization in Alevi Culture: An Exploratory Study on Spiritual Leaders (Dedes)   Nuran Erol Işık 7 One, Many or None: Religious Truth-Claims and Social Perception of Religious Freedom   Olga Breskaya and Giuseppe Giordan 8 Religious Freedom in Prisons: A Case Study from the Czech Republic   Jan Váně and Lukáš Dirga PART 3 b>Politics and Policies on Religious Freedom 9 Organizations and Religious Restrictions: An International Overview of the Intersection of State and Non-Governmental Organizations and Religious Groups   Dane R. Mataic and Kerby Goff 10 Religious Freedom between Politics and Policies: Social and Legal Conflicts over Catholic Religious Education in Italy, 1984–1992   Guillaume Silhol 11 The Measure of Cedaw: Religion, Religious Freedom, and the Rights of Women   Barbara R. Walters 12 Religious Freedom and Religionization of World Politics: Views of EU Political and Religious Representatives   Chrysa K. Almpani Index

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Book SynopsisThis compilation explores the significance of religion for the controversies stirred up by populist politics in European and American contexts, engaging Jewish, Christian, and Islamic political thought. Moving beyond essentialist definitions of religion, the contributions offer critical interpretations and constructive interventions for political theology today.

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Book SynopsisIs China truly a secular state? André Laliberté puts this widely held perception to the test, arguing that we must first broaden our definitions if we are to comprehend fully the religious nature of the Chinese state. From there, Laliberté presents the long tradition of Chinese statecraft, which has involved different forms of intermingling between religion and state, and describes how the Communist Party perpetuates this institutional intertwinement despite its materialist philosophy. He then explores the variety of forms in which societies with a Chinese heritage outside of the People’s Republic of China are moving beyond this mutual entanglement between religion and state.Table of ContentsChina in a Secular Age Coping with the Legacy of a Religious State  André Laliberté Abstract Keywords  1 Multiple Approaches to Secularity in Chinese Societies  2 Chinese Religions and Political Rulers before 1949  3 The Chinese Communist Party and Religions  4 Chinese Religions and Communities outside the PRC since 1949  5 Concluding Remarks on Chinese Multiple Secularities Bibliography

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Book SynopsisL’auteur soutient que les confréries soufies, en s’opposant ou en bloquant les ambitions conservatrices de l’État, participent — entre autres instances sociales et institutions politiques de régulation —, à la consolidation et à l’amélioration de la démocratie et de la laïcité sénégalaises. The author argues that Sufi orders participate in the improvement and consolidation of democracy and secularism in Senegal. Often, in opposing or blocking the conservative ambitions of the state holders, several Sufi guides support the citizens and deepen democratic values in the country.Table of ContentsRemerciements Liste des photographies, tableaux et caricatures Abréviations, sigles et acronymes Notes de translittération Introduction générale Partie 1 Approches théorique, méthodologique et historique 1 Recontextualiser la démocratie, la laïcité, la domination, la violence et produire des savoirs sur les confréries sénégalaises  1 Compatibilité ou non de l’islam avec la démocratie : un débat stérile  2 Les laïcités en comparaison  3 De la théorie de la violence et de la domination  4 La production des savoirs sur les confréries sénégalaises : épistémè, auto-analyse et schèmes de construction de la réalité  5 Conclusion 2 Religions et politique dans l’histoire du Sénégal  1 Parti islamiste, animiste et laïque : vers un pluralisme religieux et politique  2 Le parti chrétien avant l’implantation des loges maçonniques  3 La tradition démocratique par l’élection et les partis politiques  4 Cas d’école d’un savant inspirateur de valeurs citoyennes : Sëriñ Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Sy « Al-Maktūm »  5 Sur la nécessité de rompre avec les distinctions binaires  6 D’autres thèmes de recherche  7 Conclusion Partie 2 Marabouts et démocratie des communautés 3 La Tijāniyya et le premier régime d’alternance au Sénégal (2000-2012)  1 Aperçu des rapports entre religion et politique  2 De la violence symbolique légitime  3 Le discours politique d’un mouride devenu Président  4 Conclusion 4 Résistance au pouvoir politique : les marabouts et les jeunes  1 Stabiliser le champ politique par le champ religieux  2 Dispositions de jeunes : Rap, soufisme et engagement politique  3 Conclusion 5 Le deuxième régime d’alternance : continuité ou discontinuité avec la politique de Wade  1 Les intellos sénégalais et la critique politique  2 La religionalisation de l’affaire Khalifa Sall et l’arrivée d’un nouveau khalife  3 L’organisation des élections législatives du 30 juillet 2017 : logistique, violence et résultats  4 Débats de la loi sur le parrainage et le silence des marabouts  5 Idrissa Seck et la polémique Makka/Bakka  6 Conclusion Partie 3 Le rôle des confréries dans la stabilisation politique 6 L’élection présidentielle de 2019 : le PDS et BBY  1 Wade : apôtre de la violence ou tacticien politique  2 BBY, le candidat Sall et la campagne électorale  3 Vers la réélection de Sall : organisation et analyses  4 Conclusion 7 La laïcité à l’épreuve du temps : le PUR et Rewmi  1 La campagne du PUR  2 Le parti Rewmi durant la campagne électorale  3 Conclusion 8 La Coalition Madické 2019 et la Coalition Sonko Président : la question du vote confrérique, ethnique et après ?  1 La Coalition Madické 2019  2 La Coalition Sonko Président  3 Les entorses ethniques et confrériques à la démocratie  4 La société civile islamique et la défense de la démocratie  5 Conclusion Conclusion générale Interviews au Sénégal en 2010 et 2016 Conférences et Gàmmu de Sëriñ Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Sy Presse sénégalaise : par ordre d’entrée dans chaque chapitre Webographie et vidéographie Filmographie Bibliographie Index

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Book SynopsisReligious Literacy has become a popular concept for navigating religious diversity in public life. Spanning classrooms to boardrooms, The Politics of Religious Literacy challenges commonly held understandings of religious literacy as an inclusive framework for engaging with religion in modern, multifaith democracies. As the first book to rethink religious literacy from the perspective of affect theory and secularism studies, this new approach calls for a constructive reconsideration focused on the often-overlooked feelings and practices that inform our questionably secular age. This study offers fresh insights into the changing dynamics of religion and secularism in the public sphere.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Defining the “Religious” in Religious Literacy   From Secularization to the Secular Body   Religious Literacy in Context   Looking Ahead 1 The Rise of Religious Literacy  1 Values  2 Content Knowledge  3 Skills  4 Critical Responses  5 Conclusion 2 Public Sphere, Private Choice: Religious Literacy and Public Reason  1 Secularity 3 and Religious Voluntarism  2 Taking Religion Seriously  3 Inclusion in the Public Sphere  4 The Standard of Democratic Discourse  5 Conclusion 3 Religious Literacy and Its Limits: Liberalism, Affect, and Pedagogy  1 “In the Service of Democracy”: Secularity, Civics, and Liberal Education  2 “From Head to Heart”: Affect, Autonomy, and the Materialist Shift  3 “The Integrity of the Teacher”: Pedagogy, Neutrality, and Secular Subjectivity  4 Conclusion 4 Tolerance and Its Discontents: Managing Offense in Religious Literacy Discourse  1 “Allergic to Controversy”: Tolerance, Civility, and Religious Offence in Public Schools  2 “A Crisis of Civility”: Critical Reconsiderations of Tolerance and Civil Discourse  3 “Vigorous-Yet-Respectful Critique”: Religious Literacy’s Reframing of Tolerance Discourse  4 The Limits of the Law: Does Religious Literacy Step in Where the Law Ends?  5 “Respect Your Neighbor”: Agonistic Respect, Deep Equality, and the Self-Regulation Trap  6 Conclusion 5 The “Post-compliance” Moment: Religious Literacy in the Workplace  1 Ernst & Young (EY) – Coexist House  2 The Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding  3 The “Post-compliance” Moment  4 Conclusion 6 “Labels Can Be a Barrier”: Religious Literacy and the Question of Category  1 “Religion is Not a Native Category”: Critical Religion and World Religions  2 Nonreligion as the New Frontier of Interreligious Dialogue and the Seeming Solution of Worldviews  3 Conclusion Conclusion: Reforming Religious Literacy   In Search of the Secular Student Body   Classroom Critiques   Teaching the Secular   Affective Pedagogies   Liberal Habits   Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisChapter 1: Introduction: Between Contestation and Control: Electoral Politics and the Quest for Representation in West Asia and North Africa.- Part I: Electoral Engineering and Regime Legitimation.- Chapter 2: The Illusion of Reform: Electoral Politics and Monarchical Power in Jordan.- Chapter 3: Egypt’s Electoral Politics Post-2011: Legitimacy and Authoritarian Control.- Chapter 4: Parliamentary Elections and the Road to Reform in Post-Arab Spring Morocco.- Chapter 5: Saudi Arabia: Electoral Formalism and the Limits of Citizen Participation under Absolute Monarchy.- Part II: Opposition Dynamics and Constrained Pluralism.- Chapter 6: Elections and Executive Power in Kuwait’s Monarchy: Reversal of Opposition Gains, 2012–2024.- Chapter 7: Türkiye’s 2023 Elections: Opposition Setbacks and Future Prospects.- Chapter 8: Authoritarian Governance and Elections in the UAE and Bahrain: A Comparative Analysis.- Chapter 9: The Illusion of Consensus: Electoral Politics and the Challenge of Governance in Tunisia.- Part III: Institutional Fragility and Contested Sovereignty.- Chapter 10: The Question of People’s Representation in Iran: Negotiating Democracy with ‘Divinity’.- Chapter 11: Between Ballots and Bullets: The Political Meaning of Libya’s Missing Elections.- Chapter 12: Contesting Representation: Hamas and Electoral Politics in a Divided Palestine.- Chapter 13: Lebanese Electoral Politics: Consociationalism and its Limitations.- Chapter 14: Elections and Representation in Post-Saddam Iraq: Institutional Fragility and Sectarian Politics.- Part IV: Electoral Engagement and Limits of Participation.- Chapter 15: Political Participation in Qatar: From Municipal Elections to the Shura Council.- Chapter 16: Divided We Stand: The Electoral System and Voter Turnout in Israel, 2019–2022.- Chapter 17: Elections Without Alternation in Algeria: Protest Cycles and FLN Continuity under Military Guardianship.- Chapter 18: Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisVincent Phillip Munoz is the Tocqueville Professor of Political Science and Concurrent Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Munoz writes and teaches across the fields of constitutional law, American politics, and political philosophy.

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