Religion in Foreign Policy

Religion §

• religion’s potential avenues of influence on foreign policy
• Religions are sometimes analyzed in IR studies, but controversial questions about role of religion in FP
• US presidents (Eisenhower, Bush) pushed FPs that fits their religion sometimes, but sometimes goes against it.
  • To what extent are FPD influenced by the leaders’ or country’s religious beliefs? Or is it influenced by many other?
  • How much influence does a president have over FP decision?
• Is knowing the religious affiliation of a leader ever a predictor of which side a leader will take in a dispute that could have religious overtones?

Create a Framework to understand What is the role of religion in FP? §

more attention to various mechanisms linking religion and foreign policy is warranted, to make theoretical progress in understanding the role of religion in foreign policy analysis

• Religion: is source of world views and values, as well as a source of identity and legitimacy, and is also ‘‘associated with formal institutions.’’
  • How is religion measured?
    • religious denomination
    • frequency of practice
    • as a large-scale transnational actor (Catholic Church, Al-Qaeda)
  • role of religion as an attribute of individuals and communities, as an organized interest, and in its institutional connections with the state
    • Leaders, government officials, are the pathway which religions could affect FPD in the
      • orientation and perspective to specific FPs
      • the allies and enemies it gather
    • The extent of the impact, how it occurs, how it interact with existing domestic political structures is still poorly understood

Theoretical Approaches to Religion in FP Analysis §

Realism §

• Realism thinks Power and geopolitical positions are what determine FPDs
• no soverign power can exercise authority due to anarchic nature of IR
• If states share common religious or cultural values they are less likely to go to war against one another

Constructivism §

• Ideas such as religious heritage and culture are what determine FPDs
  • Culture provide logic that are can be rationalized and prioritized
  • If religion is very integrated into society, it’ll be taken more seriously in FPD
• FP is more or less secular because religions are detached from the modern society

Liberalism §

• Contemporary Liberal: states pursue preferences and ideals derived from domestic political consideration and constrained by domestic political consideration
  • Specifications to create identities and values as an idea
    1. Religion as a theological doctrine: live a moral life in accordance to their beliefs. Different means to the same goal.
    2. Religion as the legitimate political authority: similar power as a political party
• Republican Liberalism: Interest of parties, organized religions, public opinions, political parties impact policy maker’s choices

Institutionalism §

• How ideas interact with factors such as institutions that can cause significant outcomes such as
  • legal arrangment: minority religious groups seek garauntee religious freedom
• The structure of political system has different regimes that affect religious issues
  • Democratic System: has to deal with domestic specificities, each religious groups has a say in FP
  • Authoritarian Regime: majority organized groups will take over the voting power. Organized religious groups are very important.

Using Comparative Politics: Agent-Based Theory §

• Individual beliefs are integrated in policy maker’s decision-making process, therefore religion will too
  • Leaders are affected by their beliefs and religious values in FPD
  • Religion can shape leadership style (pragmatic, dogmatic) and directing leadership attention to certain things (religion issues, cultural, economic)

💡 Ex: Sharia’s law on how people should be governed, act, and punished.

• A country’s identity could be created and rooted from religions

---

Case Study: Singapore §

• Protests against Muslim strict law on girls
  • 4 year old girl can’t wear ‘Tudung’ in a secularized school

References §

• GIGW Governance Issues in Globalized World by RUPP Chapter 6