THE ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK TO RELIGION AND POLITICAL PARTIES

As religion and politics become ever more intertwined relationships between religion and political parties are of increasing global political significance. This handbook responds to that development providing important results of current research involving religion and politics focusing on: democratisation democracy party platform formation party moderation and secularisation social constituency representation and interest articulation. Covering core issues new debates and country case studies the handbook provides a comprehensive overview of fundamentals and new directions in the subject. Adopting a comparative approach it examines the relationships between religion and political parties in a variety of contexts regions and countries with a focus on Christianity Islam Buddhism Judaism and Hinduism. Contributions cover such topics as:religion secularisation and modernisation;religious fundamentalism and terrorism;the role of religion in conflict resolution and peacebuilding;religion and its connection to state democratisation and democracy; and regional case studies covering Asia the Americas Europe Sub-Saharan Africa the Middle East and North Africa.This comprehensive handbook provides crucial information for students researchers and professionals researching the topics of politics religion comparative politics secularism religious movements political parties and interest groups and religion and sociology.