Religion, NGOs and the United Nations: Visible and Invisible Actors in Power

Description

How do religious groups, operating as NGOs, engage in the most important global institution for world peace? What processes do they adopt? Is there a “spiritual” UN today? This book is the first interdisciplinary study to present extensive fieldwork results from an examination of the activity of religious groups at the United Nations in New York and Geneva. Based on a three and half-year study of activities in the United Nations system, it seeks to show how “religion” operates in both visible and invisible ways. Jeremy Carrette, Hugh Miall, Verena Beittinger-Lee, Evelyn Bush and Sophie-Hélène Trigeaud, explore the way “religion” becomes a “chameleon” idea, appearing and disappearing, according to the diplomatic aims and ambitions. Part 1 documents the challenges of examining religion inside the UN, Part 2 explores the processes and actions of religious NGOs – from diplomacy to prayer – and the specific platforms of intervention – from committees to networks – and Part 3 provides a series of case studies of religious NGOs, including discussion of Islam, Catholicism and Hindu and Buddhist NGOs. The study concludes by examining the place of diplomats and their views of religious NGOs and reflects on the place of “religion” in the UN today. The study shows the complexity of “religion” inside one of the most fascinating global institutions of the world today. Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Contents Detailed Contents List of Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction: Religion, the United Nations and Institutional Process Approaching religion, NGO s and the UN Early studies of religion at the UN Continuation not resurgence: disciplinary politics and religion at the UN The United Nations, religion and process Outline of the book Part One Methods: Context, Categories and Conditions 1 Realism and Idealism: NGOs and the United Nations System The role of the UN in world affairs: theories of engagement The UN as an arena The UN as an actor The UN as a tool Conclusion: NGO s and values 2 The Problem of Categories: Exploring Religion and NGOs through Survey Research Locating ‘religion’ in NGO s The survey The category ‘non-governmental’ 3 Representation, Accountability and Influence at the UN: Results from the Survey of Religious NGOs Religion and representation at the UN Accountability: agenda setting and fi nancial support Conclusion 4 Religious NGOs, UN Participation and Fieldwork Methodology UN bodies, services and agencies concerned with religious NGO activities What can be regarded as an ‘NGO’ at the UN? The criterion of the ‘consultative status’ Who is granting or suspending the ‘consultative status’ of NGOs? For what kind of ‘safe conduct’ is the ‘consultative status’ standing for? Observing the ‘processes of action’: the epistemological framework of our study of the RNGOs eff ective presence and concrete activities at the UN Part Two Processes: Religious NGOs in Geneva and New York 5 On and Behind the Scene: Religious NGO Processes at the OHCHR of the UN in Geneva The diversity of the Religious NGO activities at the UN: mapping the processes Focus on the RNGOs processes of activities at OHCHR Measuring the level of RNGOs activity through legally-based processes Case of legally- based process (1) the RNGOs written statements at the Human Rights Council Case of legally- based process (2) the RNGOs parallel or sides-events at the HRC Observing the RNGOs operations by adaptive processes Case of adaptive process (1) Networking processes Case of adaptive process (2) Informal diplomacy and communication Case of adaptive process (3) Ad hoc ‘breaking wall’ processes Case of adaptive process (4) Educational processes Case of adaptive process (5) Religious processes Conclusion: how efficient are these processes? 6 Blessing or Bother? Religion and Religious NGOs at the UN in New York What religion? Or religion – the forgotten category? The contested role of religion at the UN RNGOs at the UN headquarters in New York RNGO processes and the UN in New York Conclusion: the value of partnerships Part Three Case Studies: The Centre and the Periphery of UN Civil Society 7 Islam, the OIC and the Defamation of Religions Controversy Islam at the UN The Organisation of Islamic States The Defamation of Religions controversy: a case study Conclusion 8 Catholicism at the United Nations in New York The Vatican and the Holy See: historical background Problematic ties: criticism and opponents of the Catholic Church Catholic civil society presence at the UN Conclusion: diversity and presence 9 Hindu and Buddhist NGO s and the United Nations NGO dynamics and the UN : push–pull factors Constraining dynamics Facilitating dynamics Internal mechanisms and global culture Conclusion: UN reform, plurality and ‘religious’ NGO s Conclusion: Diplomacy, State Power and Irrational Religion Diplomatic theory: the place of religion in the international system The place of religion in the UN The role of religion in the foreign policies of member states The role of religions in state foreign policies: summary The influence of religious NGO s in the UN : diplomats’ views Conclusion: in-country politics Notes Bibliography Index