The Unfree Exercise of Religion: A World Survey of Discrimination against Religious Minorities

Description

Religious discrimination is the norm in many countries around the world, and the rate is rising. Nearly every country which discriminates does so unequally, singling out some religious minorities for more discrimination than others. Religious tradition does not explain this complex issue. For example, Muslim majority states include both the most discriminatory and tolerant states in the world, as is also the case with Christian majority states. Religious ideologies, nationalism, regime, culture, security issues, and political issues are also all part of the answer. In The Unfree Exercise of Religion Jonathan Fox examines how we understand concepts like religious discrimination and religious freedom, and why countries discriminate. He makes a study of religious discrimination against 597 religious minorities in 177 countries between 1990 and 2008. While 29 types of discrimination are discussed in this book, the most common include restrictions in places of worship, proselytizing, and religious education. Cover Half-title Title page Copyright information Table of contents Acknowledgments 1 Introduction What Is Religious Discrimination and Why Is It Important? A Prelude The Religion and State-Minorities Dataset Structure and Findings 2 What Is Religious Discrimination? Religious Freedom The Multiple Meanings of Religious Freedom and Discrimination The Free Exercise of Religion Religious Persecution and Repression Discrimination on the Basis of Religion Religious Tolerance and Intolerance Level Playing Fields, Equality, and Establishment Religious Human Rights Comparing and Contrasting Perspectives on Religious Freedom and Discrimination Religious Freedom for Whom? How Much Discrimination? Defining and Measuring Religious Discrimination Conclusions 3 The Causes and Consequences of Religious Discrimination The Causes of Religious Discrimination Religious Ideologies and Majority Religions Nationalism and Protection of Culture Anticult Policies Objectionable Practices Ethnoreligious Conflict Perceived Security Threats Perceived Political Threats and Political Expediency Primordialism Instrumentalism and Mobilization Societal Discrimination and Prejudice The Supply Side Theory of Religion Religious Tradition and Demography General Causes of Discrimination The Limits of Empirical Analysis The Consequences of Religious Discrimination and Religious Freedom 4 Christian Majority States 1: Western Democracies and the Former Soviet Bloc Macro Comparisons Western Democracies Catholic Majority States Non-Catholic Christian Majority States The Former Soviet Bloc Orthodox Majority States Non-Orthodox Majority States Explaining Religious Discrimination in Western Democracies and the Former Soviet Bloc Empirical Explanations Qualitative Explanations 5 Christian Majority Countries 2: The Third World Latin America Macro Comparisons Religious Discrimination in Latin America’s Catholic Majority States The Roots of Discrimination in Latin America Africa and Asia Macro Comparisons Religious Discrimination in Asia’s and Africa’s Christian Majority States Patterns and Trends in Christian Majority States Explaining Religious Discrimination in Christian Majority Third World States Conclusions 6 Muslim Majority Countries A Note on the “Arab Spring” Macro Comparisons The Middle East: Persian Gulf States The Rest of the Middle East Non-Former-Soviet Asian States The Former Soviet Bloc Sub-Saharan Africa Patterns and Trends in Muslim Majority States Explaining Religious Discrimination in the Muslim World Conclusions 7 Other Countries Macro Comparisons Buddhist Majority States Mixed Majority States Hindu, Shinto, Jewish, Animist, and Communist Majority States Patterns and Trends in “Other” Majority States Explaining Religious Discrimination in “Other” Majority States Explaining Religious Discrimination in All States Conclusions 8 Conclusions Patterns and Trends Religious Discrimination Is Increasing The Most Common Types of Discrimination Both Majority and Minority Religious Identities Matter Religions Are Not Monolithic Christians Are the Most Persecuted Religious Minority and Muslims Are the Least Persecuted The West Is neither the Most Secular nor the Most Tolerant World Region Local versus National Policies The Causes of Religious Discrimination Religious Ideologies and Majority Religions Nationalism and Protection of Culture Anticult Policies Objectionable Practices Ethnoreligious Conflict Perceived Security Threats Perceived Political Threats and Political Expediency Primordialism, Instrumentalism, and Mobilization Societal Discrimination and Prejudice Religious Tradition and Demography General Causes of Discrimination The Limits of General Explanations and Theories Some Final Thoughts Bibliography Index