Doctoral Dissertation Research in Political Science: Religion and Democratization in Christian and Islamic Societies

本博士论文研究项目研究宗教在民主发展中的作用。虽然学者、政策制定者和新闻记者断言宗教与民主之间存在密切关系，但大多数人关注的是一个国家普遍存在的宗教类型，而不是宗教影响政治结果的过程。该项目概述并测试了一种识别组织和社会因素的理论；而不是宗教教义和意识形态；作为将宗教与支持民主转型的政治行动联系起来的主要机制。它采用混合方法，包括对国家一级的经验数据进行定量分析，并对在欧亚共和国亚美尼亚和格鲁吉亚实地工作过程中获得的访谈和观察结果进行定性分析。对宗教组织结构和社会宗教组成数据的定量分析将用于揭示宗教对民主过渡和巩固影响的趋势。构建原始数据集，其中包含来自欧洲，亚洲，拉丁美洲和非洲的120多个国家的变量。为了补充数据分析，对宗教领袖、政府官员和外行观察员的采访将试图揭示宗教团体政治行动背后的动机，以及宗教信仰、实践和组织中与政治最相关的方面。这项研究将通过关注宗教的组成部分以及它们影响民主过渡和巩固过程的途径，为民主化的学术研究做出贡献。它将侧重于在一个缺乏既定和经过验证的理论的学术领域建立理论。它将有助于统一基于意识形态、大众政治行为、政治价值观、群体组织和群体竞争的研究领域，因为它们与政权更迭和稳定有关。该研究还将通过汇编东方基督教和伊斯兰教的数据，为宗教和政治领域做出定性贡献，其他学者可以利用这些数据与其他宗教传统进行比较研究。考察对宗教活动的限制和宗教团体之间的竞争，将有助于理解外国宗教团体的作用以及发展中民主国家宗教极端主义的兴起。最后，关注前共产主义社会将允许研究放宽对宗教活动和其他形式的表达限制对宗教团体政治活动的影响。更广泛的影响：这个项目将在政治科学领域之外产生更广泛的影响，因为民主化和宗教运动的兴起是当前政治中的相关问题，对国际社会很重要。本研究将汇编的数据对参与促进欧亚地区和世界其他地区民主发展、人权和公民社会的政策制定者、顾问和非政府组织具有特别重要的意义。宗教团体的行动特别影响到该地区政权的和平与稳定，跨国宗教运动在这些地区日益流行，影响到欧亚大陆；邻国和国际社会。

This Doctoral Dissertation Research project studies the role of religion in the development of democracy. While scholars, policymakers and journalists assert a strong relationship between religion and democracy, most focus on the type of religion prevalent in a country rather than on the processes through which religion affects political outcomes. This project outlines and tests a theory that identifies organizational and societal factors; rather than religious doctrine and ideology; as the main mechanisms that connect religion to politicalaction in support of democratic transition. It uses a mixed methodological approach,including quantitative analysis of national-level empirical data and qualitative analysisof interviews and observations obtained in the course of field work in the EurasianRepublics of Armenia and Georgia.Quantitative analysis of data on the structure of religious organizations and thereligious composition of societies will be used to uncover trends regarding the impact ofreligion on democratic transition and consolidation. An original data set is constructedthat contains variables from over 120 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, andAfrica. To supplement the data analysis, interviews of religious leaders, governmentofficials and lay observers from the field will attempt to uncover the motivations behindpolitical action by religious groups and the aspects of religious beliefs, practices, andorganization that are most relevant to politics.This study will contribute to scholarship on democratization by focusing on components ofreligion and the paths through which they influence the processes of democratic transitionand consolidation. It will focus on theory-building in an area of scholarship that lacksestablished and tested theories. It will serve to unite fields of inquiry based on theexamination of ideology, mass political behavior, political values, group organization andgroup competition as they relate to regime change and stability. The study will alsocontribute qualitatively to the field of religion and politics by compiling data onEastern Christianity and Islam that other scholars can use to perform comparative studieswith other religious traditions. Examination of restrictions on religious practice andcompetition among religious groups will aid in understanding the role of foreign-basedreligious groups and the rise of religious extremism in developing democracies. Finally,focusing on former communist societies will allow for study of the effect of the easing ofrestrictions on religious practice and other forms of expression on the politicalactivities of religious groups.Broader Impact: This project will have a broader impact outside of the field of political science, as democratization and the rise of religious movements are currently relevant issues in politics and important to the international community. The data that this study willcompile will have particular significance for policymakers, consultants and NGOs involvedin promoting democratic development, human rights, and civil society in both the Eurasianregion and other areas of the world. The actions of religious groups affect the peace andstability of regimes in the region specifically, and transnational religious movementsgaining popularity in these areas impact Eurasia; neighbors and the international community.