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Politics and Religion: The Basics provides a concise introduction to the complex interactions between politics and religion in both domestic and international contexts.
List of contents
1 The basics
Introduction; Politics and religion: Modernisation and secularisation; What the book is about; Politics; Religion; World Religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism; The book: Chapter by chapter; Conclusion 2 Domestic politics State and religion; Political society; Civil society; Social capital; Conclusions; Questions 3 International politics Globalisation and religion; International politics and religion; Post-secular international politics; Conclusion; Questions; 4 Contentious politics Contentious politics and religion; Democratisation and democracy; Right-wing populism; Culture wars; Religious terrorism; Conclusion; Questions 5 Gender and feminism Gender and politics; Gender, power and ideology; Islamic feminism; Turkey and Islamic feminism; France and Islamic feminism; Conclusion; Questions 6 Freedom and discrimination State policies with respect to freedom of religion or belief; International religious freedom after World War II; State discrimination against religious minorities in the Middle East and North Africa; International discrimination against women and sexual minorities; Discrimination against the non-religious in sub-Saharan Africa; Conclusion; Questions 7 Nation and nationalism Secular nationalism; Nationalism and religion; Nationalism and Confucianism; Nationalism and Christianity; Nationalism and Islam; Conclusion; Questions; 8 Challenges and opportunities Politics, religion and security; Politics, religion, governance and global order; Conclusion
About the author
Jeffrey Haynes is Emeritus Professor of Politics at London Metropolitan University, UK. His recent edited handbooks include:
Religion and Political Parties (2019),
Religion, Politics, and Ideology (2021),
Religion and Politics, 3rd ed. (2023),
Religion & Nationalism (2025) and
Politics and Religion in Contemporary America (2025). Haynes has written extensively about politics in Ghana in
Christian Nationalism and Democracy in Ghana (2025) and
Revolution and Democracy in Ghana: The Politics of Jerry John Rawlings (2023). He has also written extensively about religion and politics in the USA, including two research monographs -
From Huntington to Trump: Thirty Years of the Clash of Civilizations (2019) and
Trump and the Politics of Neo-Nationalism: The Christian Right and Secular Nationalism in America (2021).
