ABSTRACT

Religion is becoming increasingly important to the study of political science and to re-examine key concepts, such as democracy, securitization, foreign policy analysis, and international relations.

The secularization of Europe is often understood according to the concept of ‘multiple modernities’—the idea that there may be several roads to modernity, which do not all mean the eradication of religion. This framework provides support for the view that different traditions, societies and groups can come to terms with the components of modernity (capitalism, democracy, human rights, science and reason) while keeping in touch with their religious background, faith and practice.

Contributors examine the interaction between EU-integration processes and Western European countries, such as Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Austria, Scandinavia, Italy, and the UK, and shine fresh light on the economic and cultural contexts brought about by relationships between politics and religion, including immigrant religions and new religious movements. This volume combines theoretical perspectives from political sociology and international relations to consider the role of religion as a source of power, identity and ethics in institutions and societies.

Politics of Religion in Western Europe will be of interest to scholars of politics, religion, the European Union and political sociology.

part |39 pages

Theoretical lines

chapter |20 pages

Introduction

Western European modernities and religion – a perspective from political sociology

chapter |18 pages

Religion in international relations

A European specificity?

part |49 pages

European modernities

chapter |18 pages

Theories of European integration and religion

A critical assessment

chapter |17 pages

The chaplains of Europe?

Christian interest representation and EU rationality

part |95 pages

National modernities

chapter |19 pages

Religious Euroscepticism in the Nordic countries

Modern or pre-/anti-/post-/modern?

chapter |17 pages

Christianity and British politics

A neglected dimension

chapter |26 pages

Still religious parties in Belgium?

The decline of the denominational cleavage in Belgian consociational democracy

chapter |17 pages

State and religions in Luxembourg

A ‘reconciled' and ‘secularized’ democracy

part |69 pages

Alternative modernities

chapter |17 pages

Alienation in modernity

The case of European Muslims

chapter |17 pages

Public policies towards new religions

The French and Italian cases compared