Preface ix
1. The Interface of Religion and Politics: Old Patterns,
New Trends
Religion and Politics—Watch Out!
Religion and Politics—Should They Ever Mix?
Our Journey to the HotSpots of Religion and Politics
The Twin Powers: Traditional Models of Religious and Political
Authority
New Trends: Secularism, Social Activism and Fundamentalism
Secularism and the Rise of the Secular State
Social Activism and Non-violent Resistance (Gandhi, King,
The Dalai Lama)
Fundamentalism (Twentieth Century Origins)
Some Theories Relevant to the Interface of Religion and Politics
Rational Choice Theory
Conflict Theory and Marxism
Clash of Civilizations Theory
Rejection of Modernity Theory
Terrorism Theory
Resurgence and Pendulum Swing Theory
Feminist Theory
Further Reading
Books in our Laptop:
Other Reading:
Websites
Key People
Glossary
.
2. China: Government Control Over Religion
Stopovers in Japan and South Korea
Buddhism and State Shinto in Japan
The Koreas: Two Nations, Two Systems
China
Religious Background
Confucianism
Daoism
Daoist Religion
Buddhism
Political Background: From the First Emperor to the Communist Era
The First Emperor
Han Dynasty and Han Chinese
Foreign Dynasties
Communist Period (1949– )
Issue 1. Hui and Uyghur Muslims vs. the Han Majority
The Hui Minority
The Uyghur Minority
Issue 2 “Hanification” of Tibetan Culture
Hanification
Issue 3. Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism as
Underground Churches
Two Forms of Roman Catholicism
Two Forms of Protestants
Issue 4. Falun Dafa as a Banned Organization
Beijing Demonstration and Banning
Control of the Media
Overview and Theoretical Discussion
Marxist Theory vs. Human Spirituality in China
Religious Impact on International Relations
Study Questions
Further Reading
Websites
Key People
Glossary
3. India: Secular Policy versus Religious Demands
Stopovers in Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Nepal
Separatist Fighting in Southern Thailand
Military Junta Versus Democracy in Myanmar
Ugly Separatist Fighting in Beautiful Sri Lanka
Maoist Revolt Against a Hindu Monarchy in Nepal
India
The South Asian Region
Religious Background
Hinduism
Buddhism and Jainism
Sikhism
Zoroastrianism, Islam and Christianity
Political Background
Historical India
The Mughal Period
Independence and the Partitioning of British India
Secularism and the Nehru Political Dynasty in India
Issue 1: Dalit Rights vs. the Hindu Upper Classes
How the Hindu Class, Caste and Purity System Discriminates
against the Dalits
Economic Factors for Oppressing the Lower Castes
Intercaste Dining
Reservation System and Politics
Issue 2: The Rise of Hindu Nationalism and the BJP Party
RSS
Shiv Sena
Hindutva
BJP
Issue 3: The Babri Mosque controversy and Muslim-Hindu Violence
VHP
Controversial History of the Ramkot Site
The Godhra Train Incident, Indian Pogroms, and N. Modi
Overview and Theoretical Discussion
Theoretical Discussion
Study Questions
Further Reading
Websites
Key People
Glossary
4. Saudi Arabia: The Rise and Spread of Salafi Wahhabism
Religious Background: Prophet Muhammad, Holy Sites
Prophet Muhammad
The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs and Sharia
The Sunni-Shi’i Split
Varieties of Shi’a Islam
Political Power
Political Background: Oil, OPEC and Political Power
Issue 1. Salafi Islam and Wahhabi Extremism: Salaf, al-Wahhab,
Tawhid, Infidels
Salafi Islam
Ibn Taymiyyah
Ibn Abd al-Wahhab
Opposition from the Ulama
Wahhabi-Shi’i Attacks and Tensions
Issue 2. The House of Saud: Origins, Religion, Oil, Relations with
the United States
Rise to Power, Three Times
Shi’i Minority Rights
Oil Riches and the Difference It Makes
Relations with the United States
Issue 3. The Rise of Islamic Terrorism and Al-Qaeda
The Rise of Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden
Issue 4. The Arab Spring and its Impact on the Saudis
The Arab Spring
The Possibility of an Arab Spring in The Kingdom
Overview and Theoretical Discussion
Theoretical Discussion
Study Questions
Further Reading
Websites
Key People
Glossary
5. Iraq and Iran: The Rise of Shi’i Activism
Religious Background: Political Islam
Iran
Iraq
Issue 1: Sunni-Shi’i Tensions
Political Power
Issue 2: Political Role of the Clerics in Iran
Ayatollah Khomeini
The Islamic Revolution
The Iranian Two Tier System of Government
Reformist Islam and Women
Issue 3: Political Role of Clerics in Iraq
Shi’is and Sunnis Cooperate in the 1920 Revolt
The Quietist Position of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
The Activist Position of the Al-Sadr Clerics
Issue 4: The New Caliphate and the Islamic State
Overview and Theoretical Discussion
Theoretical Discussion
Study Questions
Further Reading
Websites
Key People
Glossary
6. Israel and Palestine: Religion as a Basis for Land Claims
Stopovers in Lebanon and Jordan
Religion and Politics: Lebanese Style Consociational Democracy
Entering Israel through the Jordan Valley
Judaism
Islam in Israel and Palestine
Christianity in Israel and Palestine
Minority Religions: Druze, Baha’i
Religious Background: Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Baha’i, Druze.
Political Background: Tensions, Crusades, Zionism, Modern Israel
Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians
The Crusades
Zionism
Modern Israel
A Series of Israeli–Arab Wars
Issue 1: Haredim and the Religious Nationalists (Ultra-Orthodoxy,
Settlers, Zionists)
Haredi Jews and Ultra-Orthodoxy
The Religious Nationalists (Zionism, Settlements)
Issue 2: The Religionization of Palestinian Nationalism (PLO,
Fatah, Hamas)
Arafat, the PLO and FATAH
Hamas
The Security Fence
Religionization of the PLO and Hamas
Issue 3. Control of Jerusalem’s Old City Area (Temple Mount,
Old City Governance)
The Four Quarters, Residents, and Sites
Three Possible Models for Old City Governance
Overview and Theoretical Discussion
Theoretical Discussion
Study Questions
Further Reading
Websites
Key People
Glossary
7. Europe: Islamic Voices in “Christian” Europe
Religious Background: Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Muslims,
and Jews in Europe
The Eastern Orthodox Church in Europe
The Protestant Churches
Muslims
Jews
Political Background: Turkey, European Union
Turkey: Caught Between the European Union and the Islamic World
Stopover in Turkey
The European Union (EU)
Issue 1. European Union Admission of Turkey and the Religion
Factor
The Ottoman Empire and the West
The Unending Application for EU Membership
Stopover in Prague
Jan Hus, the Cooked Goose, and the Swan
The Thirty Years War: Catholics against Protestants
Historical Persecution of Prague’s Jews
Issue 2. France: Backlash, National Front, Ban on Religious Garb
Anti-Immigration Parties, The National Front
The Ban on Religious Garb
Issue 3. Netherlands: Backlash, Parties, Films, Cartoons
Dutch Anti-Immigration Parties
Anti-Islamic Films
Cartoons about Islam
Overview and Theoretical Discussion
Theoretical Discussion: Minority Religious Rights vs. Secular Multiculturalism
Study Questions
Further Reading
Websites
Key People
Glossary
8. The United States and Canada: The Increasing Influence of
Religion on Politics
Stopover in Nigeria: A Torn State and Boko Haram
Christian South versus Muslim North in Nigeria
Boko Haram’s Anti-Western Extremism and an African Islamic State
Religion and Politics: United states and Canada
Separation of “Church and State” in the United States
Protestant, Catholic, Jew: The Triple Melting Pot
Religion and Government in Canada
Rise of Fundamentalism in the United States and Canada
The Bible Belt
The Social Gospel
Issue 1. Politicized Topics: Evolution, Abortion, Stem Cell Research,
Birth Control, Same-sex-Marriage
Evolution, Creation Science, Intelligent Design and the Creation Museum
Abortion: A Concern of Many Religions
Stem Cell Research: A Concern of Many Anti-Abortionists
Birth Control and Sex Education
Same-Sex Marriage, the 2004 U.S. Elections, and the Right to Refuse
Service
Issue 2. The Christian Right in Politics: Moral Majority, Christian
Coalition, Faith-Based Initiatives, Support for Israel, Canada
The Christian Right Goes Political
Successful Partnership with the Republican Party
Religion and Voter Behavior in Presidential Elections
Support for Israel and Christian Zionism
The Christian Right in Canada
Evaluating the Christian Right
Issue 3. The Rise of Islam in the United States and Canada: Nation
of Islam, Growth of Islam
Brief History of Islam in America
The Nation of Islam (NOI) and the American Muslim Mission
The Growth of Sunni and Shi’i Islam in North America
The Controversy over Shariah Arbitration in Ontario
Overview and Theoretical Discussion
Theoretical Discussion
Study Questions
Further Reading
Websites
Key People
Glossary
9. The Big Picture
Overview: The Many Variations of the Religion and Politics
Interface Theoretical Discussion
The Islamic Revival and Other Pendulum Swings
The One Truth versus Many Truths
Fundamentalists, Secularists, and the Moderates on the Basis of
Authority
Moderate versus Militant Fundamentalism
Mixing of Religion and Politics: Good or Bad?
Index 281
