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The Forgotten Factor: The Uneasy Relationship between Religion and Development
Abstract
Religion has been ignored and sidelined in international development theory and strategy, supported by the discourse of social theory during the development era. The dominance of modernization and secularization theories has been key to this marginalization, but if, as recently asserted, we are to recognize the impact and influence of culture on development strategy, we must account for the specific role of religion in this. This article argues that religion is a defining force within culture, and asks if in a postmodern era, where religion seems to be impacting on all areas of society, religion can be addressed; and if so, how this should be managed. By exploring the roots of development and its historical avoidance of religion, the article seeks to determine a course of action that encourages the social significance of religion to be recognized and handled in a constructive manner.
... At the individual level, religion transmits to development outcomes, such as an improved economic situation, through changed attitudes (Guiso,Sapienza,and 5 This resonates with Selinger (2004) and Haynes (2009), who distinguish "between religion expressed at the individual and group levels" (Haynes 2009(Haynes , 1047. It somewhat differs from the conceptualisation proposed by Ter Haar, which is influential in the religion and development debate. ...
... Social networks and social interaction are particularly important in the context of this study with its focus on sub-Saharan Africa and its focus on development. In the Global South, the elements relating to the social level are of greater importance than in many western contexts (Selinger 2004). Selinger (2004, 525) highlights with reference to Haynes: 11 "Diese Ebene [die Individualebene] ist die entscheidende, denn über die Lebendigkeit von Religion entscheidet … ihre Akzeptanz durch das religiöse Individuum" (Pollack 2017, 189). ...
... Religion as a coping mechanism therefore plays an important role in such contexts. In light of the arguments made by Selinger (2004) regarding the importance of the social level, it seems in many of these contexts religion is not only an individual-level coping mechanism for contingencies, but also a social-level coping mechanism. Religion might not only provide individuals with means to refer to the transcendental to deal with personal crises and "existential insecurities" (Norris and Inglehart 2011). ...
... There have been few attempts to examine religion as a contextual factor in relation to the beliefs and values that influence institutional social behaviours (Thomas 2000;Selinger 2004;Farooq, Hao & Liu 2019). ...
... The results of this research extend our understanding of legitimacy theory, stakeholder theory and institutional theory by illustrating how institutions legitimise their activities to the general public, address stakeholder groups (albeit from the perspective of the general public) and manage institutional pressures of competitors. Although previous researchers have acknowledged that organisational practices are contextualised within social contracts and/or institutional environments, few have considered the influence of religious beliefs and values within the societal development (Selinger 2004;Farooq, Hao & Liu 2019). Without understanding the religious context of intents, beliefs and values, and linking CSR practice to specific facts in the field and at society level, it would not be possible to explain institutional corporate behaviours and give meaning to these actions (Adams, Hill & Roberts 1998;Rousseau & Fried 2001;Johns 2006;Campbell 2007). ...
... Visser (2008) and Jamali and Mirshak (2006) stated that religion has a considerable role in changing how institutions behave and practice CSR in developing countries. Religion has rarely been studied as a contextual factor in relation to the beliefs and values that influence organisational social behaviours (Thomas 2000;Selinger 2004). Thomas (2000, p. 816) claimed that 'taking religious and cultural pluralism seriously means developing a deeper pluralism among different communities and states in international society'. ...
Using an experimental format, this thesis explores these influences/motivations, both individually and jointly, by considering two factors—corporate culture (considering and comparing Islamic financial institutions [IFIs] and conventional financial institutions [CFIs]) and audience (limited to investors/shareholders and the general public as stakeholders) and type of CSR disclosure and assurance. The study was conducted in a developing country - Kuwait.
... Secondly, most research on international development in less-developed countries and regions around the world has focused on formal institutions (e.g., North, 1987). Less research has been done on informal institutions, although the importance of informal institutions has been recognised by many institutional economists (e.g., Williamson, 2000), and the importance of informal institutions such as religion has been highlighted in international development (Casson, Della Giusta, & Kambhampati, 2010;Selinger, 2004). We build on this literature to examine the role of religion, as well as formal economic and political institutions, in the development of social entrepreneurship in a country. ...
... As noted by Williamson (2000, p. 596), religion plays a major role in the topmost level (L1) of the institutional environment, and has been suggested as a key factor in the development of entrepreneurship in a country (Iannaccone, 1998;Iyer, 2016). Religion has been called the 'forgotten factor' in international development (Selinger, 2004). Although it has long been recognised that culture can have a significant impact on economic development (e.g., Kaplan, 2009;Platteau, 2008), cultural factors, including religion, have been largely ignored in development research (Haar & Ellis, 2006). ...
... However, a large necessity effect was also observed with religiosity (0.30), and the largest effect was observed with the Christianity variable (0.45). These findings provide strong support for the claim by some scholars (e.g., Selinger, 2004) that religion is a missing factor that needs to be considered in international development, and is a significant factor in microfinance development internationally (Mersland et al., 2013). The effects can be seen more clearly in the accompanying graphs (Figures 2-6). ...
Purpose
The aim of the paper is to identify the institutional factors in a country that are necessary conditions for social entrepreneurship, as opposed to sufficient factors.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing the relatively new method of Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and a proprietary database on microinsurance providers, we examine the level of microinsurance provision relative to the population size in 54 countries in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.
Findings
We find that high levels of religiosity and poverty in the country are necessary conditions for a high level of microinsurance enterprises, while conventional institutional development measures such as uneven economic development and state fragility show only low to medium levels of necessity.
Limitations
The study is limited by the paucity of data on microinsurance in different countries worldwide.
Implications
The findings have both theoretical and practical implications about the types of institutional factors that are necessary for a high level of microinsurance social enterprises in a country, highlighting the need to look beyond formal economic and political institutional factors and the need to consider informal institutional factors such as religion.
Contribution
We contribute to the research literature on social enterprises by highlighting the key conditions in a country that are necessary for a high level of microinsurance social enterprises.
... More sophisticated and multidimensional measures might improve our understanding of the interaction of religion and economics (Lehrer 2009). Third, there is a substantial gap when it comes to evidence from developing and transforming economies, even though religion often plays a more prominent role in these contexts in private and public life than in developed countries (Selinger 2004). Thus far, most of the research on economics and religion has focused on the United States and, to a lesser extent, Europe (Beck and Gundersen 2016). ...
... This might further elucidate the interplay of religiosity and religious content. Second, future research should operationalize the social level of religion in measurements of religious social capital, which has been argued to be an additional pathway through which religion affects economic outcomes (see, for example, Bompani 2010;Schlemmer 2008;Selinger 2004;Swart 2006Swart , 2017Wepener et al. 2010). Pursuing this line of research in quantitative studies might further refine our understanding of the relationship between religion and economic variables at the micro level. ...
A growing corpus of literature has explored the influence of religion on economic attitudes and behavior. The present paper investigates the effect of religion on labor market performance using a novel approach to control for the endogeneity of religion. It proposes contingency experience, individual experiences of existential insecurity, as an instrumental variable of a person’s religiosity. The empirical analysis uses data from a household survey in South Africa specifically designed for this study. The econometric approach is the estimation of instrumental variable ordered probit and linear probability models. Using the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS), the analysis differentiates between effects of individual religious intensity and of religious affiliation. The findings show that individual religiosity, measured in the CRS, has a robust and positive effect on labor market performance. Religious affiliation does not seem to affect labor market performance. The positive effect on religiosity is documented in a set of ordered and binary outcome models across different indicators of labor market performance. The study concludes that the intensity of belief exerts an influence on labor market attitudes and outcomes, while affiliation in religious communities (indicating different content of belief) does not seem to make a difference.
... Ver Beek (2000) for example, submitted that religion and spirituality are 'taboo' in development studies while Bornstein (2003), suggests that development is doctrinally and institutionally unaccommodating when it comes to religious matters. Similarly, alluding to development's supposed 'absentmindedness', Selinger (2004) argues that religion appears to be a 'forgotten factor' in development scholarship. This is surprising considering that development intervention and humanitarianism are constituted in and historicised by religiously rationalised missionaries, enterprises and other attendant faith-inspired materialisms during periods of colonial administration. ...
... This article's central thesis necessarily complicates, challenges and 'speaks back to' established interpretations of the international development and religion nexus as seemingly 'taboo', inconsequential and worse, non-existent, as previously discussed (Ver Beek 2000;Bornstein 2003;Selinger 2004). It does this by making meaningful contributions to the burgeoning international development scholarship which demystify normative assumptions of development's secularism (Clarke and Jennings 2008;Rakodi 2007;Deneulin and Bano 2009;Ager and Ager 2011). ...
Mainstream development discourse and practice often marginalise the significance of ‘religion’ and ‘faith’ for international development and humanitarianism. However, recent geopolitical events have prompted attitudinal and epistemological developments, with religion and faith considered an almost obligatory agenda for development scholarship. Despite current celebrations, scant attention is paid to the paramount role of religion for faith-based development actors such as African diaspora individuals and communities. Using focus group discussions, this article examines how the religious-faith identities of UK Nigerians specifically, shape their meanings for and engagement in international development. I reveal that Nigerian remittances and non-monetary contributions and services to their heritage country are constituted within moral (and cultural) obligations, justifications and values that are distinctly ‘religious’. So too, that Nigerians largely construe international development as a demonstrable ‘practice’ of their faith-based identities. Consequently, I call for a (re)theorisation of development to subsume transnational Afro-religious diasporic performativity. While focused on Nigerians, these findings are nonetheless relevant for wider UK-based African diaspora.
... 10 Criminalization of same-sex sexual activity in many countries is the legacy of colonial penal codes. 11 Religion was, for a long time, conspicuously absent from discussions on international development, but researchers are increasingly starting to address this (Selinger 2004;Haynes 2007;Rakodi 2012). ...
This paper: (1) defines social inclusion, (2) summarizes current research about social inclusion in agri-food systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), (3) outlines the relevance of a social inclusion perspective in agricultural and food system research for development, (4) reflects on the complementarity/intersectionality of a social inclusion perspective and a gender perspective, (5) proposes a position for CGIAR on social inclusion, and (6) proposes an approach to key indicators of impact for social inclusion in agri-food systems.
... Religion is an inherent element in the cultural orientation and collective identity of a people (Zambeta, 2000;Selinger, 2004). In Nigeria, the predominant religions of Islam and Christianity are noted for doctrines of alms giving which is freewill donation, thus religion fosters philanthropic dispositions among the faithful. ...
The aim of the study is to examine the nexus between corporate philanthropy (CP) and corporate reputation (CR) from the prisms of a global health emergency, cultural orientation and African context. The study adopted a cross sectional survey design. Purposive sampling procedure was adopted in the selection of 200 respondents and data were collected from the 200 respondents (Recipients of palliatives) through a structured questionnaire. Considering organizations as the unit of analysis, the data were aggregated, averaged and analyzed through paired (dependent-sample) t-test, multivariate regression and moderation analysis. The results demonstrate that corporate philanthropy before and during the pandemic had a positive effect on corporate reputation, there was a significant difference in the perceived corporate reputation before and during COVID-19 pandemic while cultural orientation and COVID-19 health crisis orientation moderated the relationship between CP and CR during the pandemic. This study is the first of its kind to empirical examine the link between CP and CR from the lens of cultural milieu, global health emergency of COVID-19 and in African context. The study contributed to management theory and practice through critical findings from the dimension of a global health crisis.
... First, it has been recognized that social scientists' understandings of the impact of religion on modernization are often based on problematic operationalizations of the term or the outright neglect of it as a variable (Basedau et al. 2017, pp. 10-11;Selinger 2004;C. Lee and Suh 2017, p. 466). ...
The relationship between modernization and religion is contested, with the literature differing in how and in what ways religion helps or hinders countries’ social, economic, and political development. This paper draws upon the history of Christianity in South Korea to critically explore the links between religion and modernization. It makes two arguments. First, discussions of the link between religion and modernization frequently employ static definitions of religion, but Christianity is characterized by oscillations between worldly (institutionalizing) and unworldly (countercultural) impulses that theoretically make very different contributions to social, economic, and political development. Second, in the case of South Korea, it is shown that both impulses have made vital contributions to the country’s modernization at different times. This suggests that the dynamic tug-of-war between the institutional and countercultural facets of Korean Christianity, although problematic for individual believers and religious leaders, helped it become an important contributor to the country’s success story. However, this paper concludes on a cautionary note by warning that extreme instances of these impulses have caused cleavages between Christianity and the Korean state and society and could undermine its future contributions. This suggests that diversity and toleration—a hallmark of Korean Christianity—will continue to be the best pathway forward.
... There are instances we can cite here to show that there are religious practices that are gender specific, that is, they are organized merely for a particular gender of a particular community or members from heterogeneous village. Myers (1999), Beek & Allan (2000), Wolfensohn (2011) and Selinger (2004) had expressed their concern for the inclusion of religion for uplifting people from poverty and also for effective development programme. ...
When religion is an inseparable aspect of the social and cultural life of people, it must be appropriated into the development framework to ensure their well-being, harmonious life, and sustainability. Keeping away from the rationalistic perspective on religion as well as the negative aspects of the creation of conflicts and tension, this study tries to look at religion as having the potential to address various problems associated with development in its broadest terms. Particularly, this article focuses on the role, nature and vitality of folk religion and its relevance for the implementation of development initiatives for the well-being of different communities. It highlights the fact that as everyday village life is shaped by their perception and worldview shaped by their religious ideas and practices and also encumbered with their religious experiences at individual and collective levels, the relationship between the uncodified folk religion and the social, cultural and economic development of community the development could be undoubtedly explored.
... For the last twenty years, the literatures on Religion and Development (Ver Beek, 2000;Selinger, 2004) and, more recently, Religion and Humanitarianism (Barnett, 2005), have grown substantially. This body of work is also increasingly nuanced as it recognises the diverse ways that the variety of faith actors and communities influence and are influenced by development and humanitarian processes at different levels. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be much more than a health emergency, with serious social, political and economic consequences. The diverse challenges for people and communities, specifically in low- and middle-income and fragile contexts, have necessitated multi-sectoral responses from international humanitarian and development actors. For many international faith-inspired organisations (IFIOs), these responses included a faith dimension. Drawing on interviews with staff working in IFIOs during the pandemic, this paper will argue that the COVID-19 pandemic saw many, although not all, IFIOs engage with local faith actors and local communities of faith more quickly, and in increasingly diverse and meaningful ways, than during previous comparable public health crises. This shift in willingness to engage with faith and religion at the local level has been reflected, to some extent, by the broader humanitarian sphere. The COVID-19 pandemic therefore marks an important step towards more faith-literate humanitarian responses, with many IFIOs at the forefront of this progress.
... Despite their record in humanitarian aid work, the contributions made by FBOs during times of disaster and development have largely been ignored. However, since the 1980s, the relationship between religion and development has received some scholarly attention [Marshall 2001;Selinger 2004;Ver Beek 2002]. At the turn of the millennium, research interest about the relevance of faith in developmentalrelated activities increased [Kniss and Campbell 1997]. ...
... While for a long time, due to the impact of modernisation theory, religion was viewed as an enemy of development (Adogame 2016:1;Lunn 2009:937), nevertheless, the recent shift in focus has replaced such theories by supporting the transformative potentials of religion hence making religious discourse integral to the discussion and implementation of development (Adedibu 2020:136;Bompani 2012:307-330;Schnable 2016:216-232). The gaining of recognition of religion in development research, practise and programming is the evidence of its earnest and insistent necessity (Marshall 2021;Öhlmann, Frost & Grab 2016;Selinger 2004;Ver Beek 2000). Despite the recognition of the vital role religion plays in development, there is a need to examine the theological arguments for a theology of development. ...
Development has become a central topic in theological discussions on a global scale. Poverty and underdevelopment have been the subject of ongoing discussion in theological circles over the role of the churches in addressing these issues. Hence, the controversy regarding theology and progress has emerged. While it has been widely understood in theological discussions that theology must confront public challenges, few works have evaluated the grounds that compel a theological reflection on development. To this purpose, there is a crucial point that must be investigated about theology and development: how substantial are the arguments for the theology and development debate? Furthermore, how are such arguments biblically supported? This essay evaluates the arguments for a theology of development through the lens of public practical theology in order to provide answers to the problems posed above. Through literary analysis, the study proceeds to analyse the basis for theology and development from a biblical perspective, so demonstrating that God’s aim for his creation is development that strikes a balance between economic, environmental, and social elements. This article contributes to the conversation of the necessity of theological reflection on development.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article contributes to the discussion between theological disciplines and development studies to provide a greater understanding of the significance of this debate to the church’s engagement with public issues such as development. The findings of this study are unquestionably valuable for churches in developing a public practical theology and enriching theological thought and church practice through community development.
... Following the secular codification of humanitarianism after World War II, as well as the rise of neoliberalism and its material bias in the 1980s, not to mention the bureaucratisation, rationalisation and professionalisation of the humanitarian arena over the last two decades, the humanitarian sphere has been reluctant to engage with faith (see Barnett 2012). This distrust is informed by modernisation and secularisation theories which have been dominant across the humanitarian sphere and in the social sciences (Selinger 2004). These theories posit that as countries modernise, faith will become increasingly irrelevant, eventually becoming obsolete all together. ...
Across the globe, people’s reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying lockdowns highlighted, and continued to stress, the relevance of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in responding to crises, including in low-income and emergency settings. They also demonstrated the importance of faith practices and communities of faith as core needs and important coping mechanisms for many affected people in times of crisis. Drawing on data collected by World Vision International, the world’s largest child-focused humanitarian and development organisation, in the course of its response to COVID-19 in 70 different countries, this article explores the ways in which faith groups and faith leaders responded to the perceived needs of their communities. While keen to offer psychosocial support to people suffering anxiety and fear in the context of the crisis, this has often been integrated with spiritual support. Analysing their work from the framework of a rights-based approach to mental health, we conclude that they did contribute to psychosocial support through their MHPSS, in part through their provision of spiritual care. However, spiritual well-being should not be conflated with psychosocial well-being. While faith groups play an important role in MHPSS, their primary role is to offer spiritual care.
... Budaya dapat didefinisikan sebagai sistem sosial, politik, ekonomi dan agama yang saling berinteraksi untuk menciptakan masyarakat. Selinger juga menjelaskan bahwa, jika ingin mencapai sebuah pembangunan yang berhasil dan berkelanjutan, agama sebagai elemen budaya yang sentral dan pasti, harus diperhitungkan dalam proses tersebut (Selinger, 2004). ...
Tulisan ini membahas tentang pengaruh zakat dan halal yang merupakan privilese praktik keagamaan dalam regulasi pemerintah terhadap meningkatkan ekonomi negara dan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Secara metodologis, kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan yuridis normatif dengan jenis penelitian deskriptif kualitatif. Adapun data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara dan studi kepustakaan. Kemudian dianalisis dan ditarik suatu kesimpulan. Hasil studi menunjukkan bahwa pemerintah memobilisasi fungsi kolektifitas muslim dalam tindakan keagamaan dan praktik kehidupan sehari-hari melalui berbagai kebijakan yang berhubungan dengan norma agama, seperti dua kebijakan yang telah dimunculkan oleh pemerintah terkait pengaturan zakat dan regulasi halal. Mobilisasi tersebut bertujuan untuk meningkatkan pembangunan ekonomi dan kesejahteraan masyarakat.
... In most African countries, religion is not considered a private matter. Social dimensions of religion are more important than individual religiosity (Selinger 2004). Religious knowledge and a world view shaped by religion are closely linked to all areas of the SDGs. ...
This report summarises the results of the research project “Potentials of Cooperation with African Initiated Churches for Sustainable Development”, which was conducted by the Research Programme on Religious Communities and Sustainable Development at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin from 2017 to 2019. The project followed a potentials-oriented approach, highlighting the contributions of African Initiated Churches to the promotion of sustainable development. It also outlined new possibilities for German development cooperation.
... This might further elucidate the interplay of religiosity and religious content. Second, future research should operationalize the social level of religion in measurements of religious social capital, which has been argued to be an additional pathway through which religion affects economic outcomes (see, for example, Bompani 2010;Schlemmer 2008;Selinger 2004;Swart 2006Swart , 2017Wepener et al. 2010). Pursuing this line of research in quantitative studies might further refine our understanding of the relationship between religion and economic variables at the micro level. ...
A growing corpus of literature has explored the influence of religion on economic attitudes and behavior. The present paper investigates the effect of religion on labor market performance using a novel approach to control for the endogeneity of religion. It proposes contingency experience, individual experiences of existential insecurity, as an instrumental variable of a person’s religiosity. The empirical analysis uses data from a household survey in South Africa specifically designed for this study. The econometric approach is the estimation of instrumental variable ordered probit and linear probability models. Using the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS), the analysis differentiates between effects of individual religious intensity and of religious affiliation. The findings show that individual religiosity, measured in the CRS, has a robust and positive effect on labor market performance. Religious affiliation does not seem to affect labor market performance. The positive effect on religiosity is documented in a set of ordered and binary outcome models across different indicators of labor market performance. The study concludes that the intensity of belief exerts an influence on labor market attitudes and outcomes, while affiliation in religious communities (indicating different content of belief) does not seem to make a difference.
... We acknowledge that FBOs do not shy away from engaging in politics stemming from a theological justification that they have a social responsibility (Webber 2004;Cooke and Downie 2015). This engagement is rooted in a zeal to make a difference in society's material development, not just confining activities to the spiritual sphere (Selinger 2004). In this sense, we conceptualise religion as a factor that endeavours to unify social, political, economic constituencies towards a common goal, notwithstanding the neglect of religion in the development discourse since Max Weber's classic (Weber 1930(Weber /2001). ...
Malawi is a profoundly religious society and faith-based organisations ( FBO s) play a significant role in politics, addressing social concerns and governance. This article investigates their role in Malawi’s political realm when engaging with the state and argues that the FBO s are opportunistic in their engagement. They seize upon opportunities for exerting influence when political and social issues dictate that action be taken in accordance with religious tenets of social responsibility, in tandem with fluctuating levels of political tension. Typical high points of tension are elections, but other controversial issues may also feature prominently. FBO s consider suitable entry points and tools of advocacy at their disposal within existing opportunity structures. As organised religion, we find that faith communities have engaged and continue to engage with the political establishment through various means, predominantly by issuing pastoral letters and statements.
... While the 'big bang' of eighteenth-century humanitarianism had its roots in religious-based social activism (Barnett 2011, Fountain andPetersen 2018), the dominant secularisation thesis within twentieth-century sociological thought entrenched the perception that modernisation entailed the retreat of religious authority from the public sphere. As such, development and religion were generally perceived as separate, and most likely countervailing, human endeavours (Selinger 2004;Ver Beek 2000). Such a hesitancy regarding religion, however, has receded over the last fifteen years as development practitioners and scholars argue for a rapprochement based on comparative advantage and common goals (Jones and Petersen 2011;Marshall and Keough 2004;Marshall and Van Saneen 2007;Rakodi 2007;Rees 2011). ...
Development studies are ambivalent about the relationship between climate change adaption and Pacific Christianity. Biblical belief about Noah’s covenant and the End Times are understood to undermine risk perception, while church membership is seen to threaten cross-denominational cooperation, hampering adaptive capacity. Yet the communicative reach and charismatic authority of Pacific churches remains the envy of development specialists working on climate change. This focus on belief and institutional reach, however, neglects how Christian ritual practice can orientate and stabilise faith communities. Drawing on fieldwork in rural Fiji investigating village migration due to coastal flooding from sea-level rise, this paper shows how ritual practice strengthens community resilience when responding to climate change. In Vunidogoloa, villagers employed the Old Testament myth of Exodus to (re)create ritual responses to vent the emotional/spiritual trauma of leaving their ancestral home. Whereas in the nearby village Vunisavisavi, such ritual responses have been lacking and village relocation remained problematic.
... In the first part of the article, we briefly present traditional typological studies of FBOs and critically question their findings as a provincially Western, techno-political reproduction of the religious-secular divide, which underpins the instrumentalization of religious aid organizations by major development agencies and international political actors. We then turn our attention to 'religion' as the 'forgotten factor' (Selinger, 2004) in social sciences scholarship of development as 'translation', and show how a critical expansion of this analytical framework to ethnographies of FBOs in different cultural contexts might lead to a unified approach in the study of development beyond the religious-secular divide. In the central part of the article, we explore the heuristic richness of this approach through three ethnographic monographs on FBOs by Mona Atia (2013), Erica Bornstein (2012) and China Scherz (2014). ...
Since the turn of the twenty-first century, there has been a remarkable surge of interest among both policy makers and academics on religion and its engagements with development. Within this context, ‘religious non-governmental organizations (RNGOs)’ or ‘faith-based organizations’ (FBOs) have garnered considerable attention. Early attempts to understand FBOs often took the form of typological mapping exercises, the cumulative effect of which has been the construction of a field of ‘RNGOs’ that can be analysed as distinct from—and possibly put into the service of—the work of purportedly secular development actors. However, such typologies imply problematic distinctions between over-determined imaginations of separate spheres of ‘religion’ and ‘development’. In this article, we innovatively extend the potential of ethnographic approaches highlighting aspects of ‘brokerage’ and ‘translation’ to FBOs and identify new, productive tensions of convergent analysis. These, we argue, provide original possibilities of comparison and meta-analysis to explore contemporary entanglements of religion and development.
This article was written as part of a broader research project on Religion and NGOs in Asia. We are grateful to the Henry R. Luce Initiative on Religion in International Affairs at the Henry Luce Foundation for their generous support of this research. We would also like to thank Philip Fountain and other members of the National University of Singapore’s Asia Research Institute for stimulating conversations that have informed our thinking in this article, and the anonymous reviewers for PIDS who have helped us to improve on earlier drafts.
... In recent decades, the role of religion has received greater attention across the interconnected fields of environmental conservation (Taylor, Wieren, & Zaleha, 2016), natural resource management (Cox, Villamayor-Tomas, & Hartbert, 2014) and international development (Deneulin & Rakodi, 2011;Selinger, 2004). This interdisciplinary body of research highlights the significant roles that religion plays at multiple levels across a wide range of social and environmental contexts. ...
Religion and spirituality have long played important roles in fishery systems around the world, and yet are often neglected in modern fisheries management and research. We review current literature and analyse the major small‐scale fishery on Lake Tanganyika, Africa, to highlight how religion may mediate fishing behaviours. Our study surveyed 154 fishers across 11 landing sites in Tanzania, followed by 15 semi‐structured interviews with key informants including fishery officers and local religious leaders. We identified key connections between religious beliefs/practices and fisher perceptions, behaviour and compliance with harvest restrictions and regulations. We demonstrate that better understanding and accounting for religious dimensions is critical for engaging with fishery stakeholders more effectively and managing global fisheries more sustainably.
... The Catholic cluster consists of two Catholic organisations implementing projects funded by Polish development aid. Although religion has been sidelined in international development for many years (Selinger, 2004), since the beginning of 2000, recognition of religion within development policy and practice has been increasing (Smith, 2017). For example, in Malta, Catholic organisations were involved in the implementation of development projects (Calleja-Ragonesi, Khakee & Pisani, 2014). ...
The aim of the paper is to investigate the capacity of Polish non-governmental organisations implementing development projects in Africa. Drawing on an integrated systemic perspective of capacity that recognises internal and external factors, this paper focuses on internal factors. Using a quantitative approach to operationalise capacity, the study suggests that those non-governmental organisations implementing the Polish development policy in Africa are highly polarised and can be divided in two groups. Whilst the first group comprises two fairly large organisations with long track records and the ability to fundraise internationally, the second group consists of smaller NGOs of different capacities and working strategies. Most Polish NGOs operate within independent networks – Catholic and secular ones. The study identifies a research gap related to the lack of comprehensive study of religious organisations’ contribution to development assistance in Africa.
... Strong discourses have emerged around FBOs having a "comparative advantage" over secular NGOs, including that they are trusted by the poor and understand their worldview, and carry out development efficiently (and cheaply) as they have a ready pool of donors and volunteers. While FBOs are today sometimes viewed as the "forgotten factor" (Selinger 2004), marginalized from mainstream development due to the secular focus of the Western development agenda, their presumed advantages do not always guarantee success nor reflect reality (Tomalin 2012). The very category of FBO itself as distinguishable from NGOs has been queried particularly in countries where religious affiliations and motivations run right through NGOs as well. ...
Religion is a major cultural, social, political, and economic factor in many official development assistance (ODA) recipient countries. After decades of being ignored by global development processes, greater portions of development aid are now channeled via faith-based organizations, and religion is increasingly recognized as a human resource rather than just an obstacle to development. This essay explores the role that faith actors are playing in the Sustainable Development Goals process. It is based upon findings from a research project funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)—“Keeping Faith in 2030: Religions and the SDGs.”
... El resultado de la ilusión del progreso de la modernidad es la marginación de la religión en el pensamiento (Cordes, 2004). En relación con el trato académico del desarrollo también se puede observar de manera empírica su ausencia en las publicaciones (Marshall, 1999;Ver Beek 2000;Selinger, 2004). La separación entre lo "sagrado" de lo "profano" en las ciencias sociales, los reducidos conceptos economicistas aplicadas al desarrollo durante décadas dificultaban mucho despertar el interés de investigar las interrelaciones entre religión y desarrollo en los ámbitos teóricos y prácticos. ...
El artículo tiene como objetivo ofrecer los resultados de una reflexión sobre las dificultades de conectar el espacio religioso con las teorías de desarrollo y analizar la aportación propia de la Iglesia con el término de “desarrollo humano integral” en el magisterio papal como un concepto puente entre lo sagrado y lo secular.
... En las narraciones de experiencias de bienestar y felicidad se incluyen valores y creencias religiosas como la armonía con el Creador, la tranquilidad de ánimo y de conciencia, la felicidad proporcionada por el ejercicio de valores superiores al placer material como el servicio desinteresado, el cuidado de los hijos o acciones de voluntariado. Aunque es cierto que lo religioso ha llegado a ser un "tabú" en los estudios del desarrollo (Ver Veek 2000), se puede apreciar un cambio y un renovado interés por incorporarlo con naturalidad en la multi-dimensionalidad del desarrollo (Selinger 2004;Tomalin 2005;Teer Har & Ellis 2006, Van Til 2010. ...
La evolución del modelo de desarrollo humano integral desde la Populorum progressio en diálogo interdiscipli-nar con otras escuelas de desarrollo José María Larrú Ramos 1 Resumen: El trabajo caracteriza la "escuela católica de desarrollo" con los siguientes ochos rasgos identitarios: trascendente-vocacionado, humano, integral, solidario, caritativo-ver-dadero, igualador, endógeno y sostenible. Además se destacan los siguientes elementos diferenciales respecto a otras escuelas: en la dimensión política, el ejercicio del poder como servicio, la participación de la sociedad civil para lograr un bien común promovido por el Estado bajo el principio de subsidiariedad y la posibilidad de que una autoridad suprana-cional fuera el garante de los "bienes comunes globales" (LS 174) contenidos en la Agenda 2030 del Desarrollo Sostenible; en la dimensión económica, la lógica del don, el trabajo subjetivo, el emprendimiento y la obligación de ayudar a los países menos desarrollados; en la dimensión sociocultural, la opción preferencial por los pobres, las estructuras de pecado y el ejercicio de la caridad política; en la dimensión ecológica, la "ecología integral" y la "conversión ecológica", a la luz de la encíclica Laudato si'.
... The largest of the Muslim NGOs operating in the UK were largely established by secondgeneration Muslims, who were born and raised in the UK. This generation had looser ties with the countries of their parents' origin, identifying themselves more with the Islamic religion than with their cultural identity 5 (Roy, 2002;Seliger, 2004). This was partly an attempt to overcome the erosion of their traditional identity, as they could no longer identify themselves with the country of their parents origin. ...
This paper aims to deepen and advance our understanding of the de-facto accountability processes and practices within Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs). We employ a three-fold accountability framework of felt, imposed and adaptive accountability, supported by insight from the Islamic perspective to elucidate our empirical findings. We adopt this framework because it enables us to localise the notions of accountability, allowing a more complete understanding of the de-facto nature of Muslim NGO accountability to emerge within the context of religious ideals and between accountabilities that are externally imposed and those that are internally generated.
Researchers have explored the relationship between religiosity and people’s gendered perspectives within the private sphere. However, there is limited research on how religiosity relates to people’s gendered perspectives in the public sphere. The authors examine the association between religiosity and the view that men make better leaders than women in two public spheres, politics and business, and explore variations by national context. Drawing on data collected in 44 national contexts, the analysis reveals that individuals with higher religious attendance are more inclined to support men’s leadership over women’s leadership in both political and business domains. Notably, this relationship is nuanced by a country’s level of economic development. Greater religiosity is associated with greater support for men’s leadership in more economically developed countries, whereas the reverse occurs in countries with lower economic development. The findings urge a more critical examination of religion’s role in shaping global perspectives on gender equity.
Concern for the environment is recognizably present in contemporary Judaism, especially in the United States. Along with practitioners of other world religions, Jews have responded to the eco-crisis by reinterpreting canonic texts, articulating eco-theologies, and reenvisioning traditional Jewish rituals. Today there are Jewish environmental organizations and Jewish thinkers who inspire Jews to appreciate the agricultural roots of Judaism, cultivate an environmentally concerned lifestyle, green the practices of Jewish institutions, and advocate the ethics of creation care. Together these activities constitute a Jewish environmental sensibility that allows us to generalize about “Jewish environmentalism,” although it falls short of constituting a cohesive “environmental movement.” Focusing exclusively on Jewish environmentalism in the U.S., this essay features the academic discourse on Judaism and ecology, the official resolutions of Jewish denominations about environmental matters, and the main activities of Jewish environmental organizations. Judaism is a highly variegated religious tradition that speaks in many voices. Nonetheless, there are shared canonic texts, foundational beliefs, ethical values, and literary tropes that characterize a distinctive Judaic perspective. From that vantage point, development of the physical world is religiously permissible, but it must cohere with the ethical values and legal principles of Judaism. It is not surprising, therefore, that socially progressive Jewish environmentalists have been vocal critics of the extraction industries, transnational capitalism, and wasteful consumerism that have greatly contributed to the eco-crisis. Highlighting the biblical commandment to pursue justice ( tzedek ), some Jewish environmentalists have applied social justice to ecological matters and promoted the ideal of tikkun olam (“repair of the world”). The essay surveys the achievements of Jewish environmentalism and notes persistent challenges.
The article explored the role Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) played in poverty reduction strategy of Liberia over a specified period 2008-2011. Five organizations were studied, namely: the Lutheran Development Services (LDS), CARITAS Monrovia Office, Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), Community Development Services Program of the United Methodist Church, and Humanity First Liberia. The paper adopted a qualitative research method and a case study design. The study materials consisted primarily of relevant scholarly literature and documents on the poverty reduction program of Liberia, as well as program reports, evaluations, interviews, and plans from the five sampled FBOs in Liberia. Significantly, the article argues for the role of five FBOs in Liberia's development efforts on the grounds that secular development practitioners have not paid enough attention to the role of religion and/or FBOs in development thinking and practice. For instance, Jeffery Haynes states that ''the role of religion was often explicitly excluded from the national development programs by modernization processes often led by secular government practitioners in many parts of the developing world'' (Haynes 2007, p. 4), of which Liberia is part. The overall conclusion based on the findings revealed that the role of the five FBOs was included in the poverty reduction strategy program of Liberia from 2008-2011. It pointed to the separation of state and religion and the fact that the Republic of Liberia is a secular state in the 1986 constitution. Even though the role of the five FBOs was excluded, the conclusion is that, on the ground, in the Liberian context, the five FBOs are actively involved with poverty reduction or development work to the extent that they contributed to two pillars of the poverty reduction strategy: infrastructure, basic social services, and economic revitalization.
The article explored the role Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) played in poverty reduction strategy of Liberia over a specified period 2008-2011. Five organizations were studied, namely: the Lutheran Development Services (LDS), CARITAS Monrovia Office, Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), Community Development Services Program of the United Methodist Church, and Humanity First Liberia. The paper adopted a qualitative research method and a case study design. The study materials consisted primarily of relevant scholarly literature and documents on the poverty reduction program of Liberia, as well as program reports, evaluations, interviews, and plans from the five sampled FBOs in Liberia. Significantly, the article argues for the role of five FBOs in Liberia's development efforts on the grounds that secular development practitioners have not paid enough attention to the role of religion and/or FBOs in development thinking and practice. For instance, Jeffery Haynes states that ''the role of religion was often explicitly excluded from the national development programs by modernization processes often led by secular government practitioners in many parts of the developing world'' (Haynes 2007, p. 4), of which Liberia is part. The overall conclusion based on the findings revealed that the role of the five FBOs was included in the poverty reduction strategy program of Liberia from 2008-2011. It pointed to the separation of state and religion and the fact that the Republic of Liberia is a secular state in the 1986 constitution. Even though the role of the five FBOs was excluded, the conclusion is that, on the ground, in the Liberian context, the five FBOs are actively involved with poverty reduction or development work to the extent that they contributed to two pillars of the poverty reduction strategy: infrastructure, basic social services, and economic revitalization.
The debate on the role of religion in development remains inconclusive despite numerous research efforts and claims that religion is integral to effectiveness of development interventions. Lack of engagement with relevant theoretical frames in research is one of the major setbacks encumbering scholarship advancement in the field of religion and development as many researchers do not go beyond reporting field observations in their ethnographic studies. Indeed, many researchers report raw data that is not critically analyzed. As much as many researchers claim that religion is integral to development, their research evidence does not bear the weight of their claims because their methodologies do not pin down the specific variables that can be studied further to allow for such generalized claims. This paper critically reviews Pentecostal studies literature to reveal their methodological flaws and effects on knowledge advancement in the field of religion and development. The paper recommends theory-driven thinking in the research process including design and data analysis to gain better insight into the role of religion in development. Steps for choosing a germane theoretical frame are provided.
Over the past two decades, in response to a growing awareness of the impacts of humanitarian crises on mental health and psychosocial well-being, leading UN agencies and international aid organisations have developed a comprehensive framework for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). In more recent years, aid workers have further begun to consider religious life as a central factor in mental health and psychosocial well-being, viewing “faith” as an important, but often neglected, component of empowering and “locally appropriate” MHPSS. However, the attempt to deliver “faith-sensitive” MHPSS across the highly pluralistic settings of international humanitarian intervention has entailed protracted ethical and practical challenges. In this article, we argue that these challenges may be usefully understood in terms of three areas of concern: the lack of evidence on effective interventions; the risk of reproducing problematic power dynamics between MHPSS providers and receivers; and the challenge of articulating a cross-culturally relevant paradigm of “faith-sensitivity” comprehensible across a wide range of religiously diverse settings. This article contributes to this challenge by drawing on the field of professional spiritual care to suggest areas of potential contribution and interdisciplinary dialogue.
Motivation
As in much of the Pacific, Samoans understand their culture through Western religious lenses. Christianity and fa'a‐Samoa (culture and practices) are entangled; they determine Samoa's daily reality of governance, society, and economic development. Discussing Samoa's development over the past two centuries without addressing Samoan agency in maintaining the Christian mantel to navigate their worldviews would misinterpret modern Samoa. Policy and investment for economic development, especially foreign aid, is largely determined at national level. Samoa's most vital communities to effect change, however, are local: church congregations and their leaders.
Purpose
I examine the intersections of religiosity and Samoa's development. Should foreign aid donors consider Samoa's religious communities to implement effective education, poverty, and development programmes if religion is regarded as a cultural entity?
Methods and approach
I used talanoa to collect data from discussions with directors of two leading aid donors in Samoa, the United Nations (UN) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Aid Coordinator for the Government of Samoa. Talanoa is a face‐to‐face dialogue often used in Pacific communities.
Findings
Religion plays a significant role in Samoan society. Samoans view economic development, improvement of the lives of ordinary citizens, job stability, and education as part of the manuia (blessings) of Samoa's religious and political status and community tapuaiga (prayers). That said, religion is not considered in formal discussions of aid and development. The interviewees all agrees that aid donors should understand the role of religion in daily society.
Policy implications
Perhaps it is time for aid donors and Christian Pacific Island Countries to use these unorthodox methods for positive economic and social changes. As stated in Samoa's World Summit on Sustainable Development Assessment Report, "the potential influential standing and the extensive outreach of the church within the community makes it a valuable vehicle to drive pro‐harmony strategies" (Government of Samoa, 2000).
This chapter focuses on the appropriation of the Bible in the Zimbabwean narrative by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) (see also Chapter 1 by Gunda in this volume). The context of this appropriation was the 40th independence celebration of Zimbabwe in 2020 and the number 40 was theologised in relation to these celebrations. The primary document for this appropriation has been the Pastoral Letter which was referred to as the 21st-century oracle by the
21st-century prophets. The chapter explores the significance of the Bible in the public space in Zimbabwe and lessons that can be drawn from this appropriation by the Second Republic. The chapter concludes that the 40th independence was an opportunity for a reflection of the past, a window for a new beginning for Zimbabwe and a reconfiguration of the country’s narrative.
The role of religion as a development actor seems to be affirmed following overwhelming evidence in development research, increasingly growing partnerships between religious communities in the global south and donors of overseas development aid, and involvement of religious leaders in development programming. However, while religion is increasingly gaining recognition in development, whether it is distinctive as a development actor seems elusive. To address this gap, this study compared livestock development projects of 10 Pentecostal Communities and 10 secular NGOs in Malawi that were selected using the purposive sampling technic. T-tests were conducted using Microsoft Excel data analysis tool pack to analyze quantitative data collected from post-project evaluation reports. The findings indicated that the projects of Pentecostal Communities were more impactful than the projects of secular NGOs. The findings suggest that the comparative advantage of Pentecostal Communities was owed to the spirit of volunteerism among their parishioners. This paper discusses these findings with respect to the literature and makes careful recommendations for future research.
This study used social identity theory as an analytical frame and mixed methods involving qualitative and quantitative approaches to investigate whether the influence of Neo-Pentecostal Communities had facilitated identity transformation after conversion and subsequently contributed to business success among the Pentecostal Entrepreneurs of Lilongwe in Malawi. The qualitative part of this study engaged hermeneutical phenomenology to theoretically describe the identity attributes of the participants that had contributed to success of their businesses and how they had acquired them. The participants were Neo-Pentecostal Entrepreneurs in the small business category whose businesses had been successful in terms of growth of capital base and survivability for at least 6 years. Entrepreneurs with similar features but not affiliated with any stream of Pentecostalism also participated in this study to determine whether there was a difference. Results show evidence of the influence of Neo-Pentecostal communities on identity transformation. The quantitative part used statistics to test validity of the effect of Pentecostalism on the identity attributes that had contributed to business success among the participants. This study does not only help to explain the role of religion in development, but also sets the tone for rigorous missiological research to contribute to development theory and practice.
The role religions play in social transformation is ambiguous. Many wars have been fought, with religion as instigator and motivator. Even so, religions have, over centuries, constantly called out against violence and oppression and motivated the search for peace. Some religious leaders famously fought against apartheid, while others expressed support and legitimated apartheid. The question beckons as to why religion should be burdened with the task of transforming society. Is religion best equipped for this task? Is there no other social institution capable of performing this task? This study presents three potential motivations why religion should participate in social transformation, namely religion is best equipped to bring about social transformation; religion is least equipped to bring about social transformation, and spirituality as an alternative to religion as transformation catalyst. This study wants to understand what transformation is and what role religion can play in contributing to social transformation. To achieve this, a clear understanding of the difference between religion and spirituality is necessary. This study uses the method of critical analysis of available literature on the topic.
The present article will focus on Islamic humanitarian organisations, from their roots in the United Kingdom to their settlement in France, without neglecting the role of public authorities. Though this is often treated as a homogeneous field, the present article claims that French Islamic humanitarian organisations use different registers to mobilize and raise awareness for their causes in the context of Muslims’ minority status in France. Two ideal-type categories help to classify these mobilisations depending on whether they use a register of “assertion” or “contestation”. At first sight, the promotion of a “civil Islam” purged of its communitarian aspect, coupled with a mitigation of the religious dimension of the association, seems to offer more guarantees to be legitimized by and to establish partnerships with state authorities. Conversely, vehement speeches, and the promotion of a religious and intra-communitarian aid, would contribute to marginalizing Muslim NGOs. However, this study based on ethnography and participant observation in France (2017-2020), supplemented by interviews and an online enquiry, brings to light the ambivalent attitude of French authorities towards Muslim NGOs. By contrast with the republican rhetoric that stigmatizes faith-based differences, the French State entrusts Muslim associations with caring for Muslim beneficiaries. The injunctions imposed by the French State are thus twofold. Muslim NGOs are encouraged to minimize their confessional affiliation, but they are also incorporated within the State’s policy of intervention with sections of French society where Muslims are in a majority because of these NGO’s supposed “cultural proximity” and the sharing of a common Islamic identity.
In a move that some equate with a “turn to religion,” state, regional, and international donors now all seek to partner with religious organizations to deliver international humanitarian aid. Evidence indicates, however, that this invitation is not always accepted. The United States serves as a prominent example. Although the United States went so far as to establish an office in USAID to facilitate coordination with faith‐based organizations in 2002, the number of religious organizations receiving USAID funds remains low. My research suggests that this is also true of faith‐based aid applications. An online survey of over 400 U.S.‐based nonprofits with international operations reveals that perceptions of government bias likely deter many religious NGOs in the United States from applying for government funds. While this explanation may be unique to the United States, it may also provide a testable hypothesis to scholars studying similar dynamics in other donor countries and organizations.
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Theory on the interface of religion and development remains underdeveloped despite an almost universal consensus among scholars, researchers, and practitioners that religion is an important factor that deserves attention in the development debate. An increasingly growing body of literature focusing on Neo-Pentecostalism consistently shores up the role of religion in development. Indeed, there is enough literature requisite to formulating theory to delineate and systematically guide future research in religion and development. However, to pin down the role of religion to advance theory in this particular interface of religion and development seems elusive. In this paper, I explore the factors that impede progress in theory advancement in religion and development with a specific focus on Christianity. My thesis is that lack of collaboration between missiologists and development scholars is a major malady that encumbers theory advancement to explain the role of religion in development.
This article uses the 2008 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey to explore the relationship between religion and women’s attitudes toward intimate partner violence (IPV). It also asks whether modernization, as measured by having a higher education or living in an urban area, can mediate or moderate this relationship. Using latent class analysis to create categories of women’s wife-beating attitudes, and multinomial regression to explore the relationship between religion, education, and urbanity, we find no significant relationship between being Muslim and justifying wife beating. Our data further suggest that neither education nor urbanity mediate or moderate this relationship.
In modern day culture, religion is specifically a business, rather than a faith. After European renaissance, religion is seen as derivative of changes between effect and resistance which had forced social scientists to think about religion from different perspectives. Then with some formal mixtures of capitalism and religion, religion became a component of business, rather than just a belief. From an individual perspective to social, political, economic perspectives, it's true. Even from individual to national and international perspectives, religion is just a business concept in the geo-politics at the international, super-national, and even supra-national arena. Nothing has changed the religions; rather international geo-politics has transformed religions into their own interests sometimes as an evil and sometimes as a “divine angel,” which can benefit their interests.
In recent years there has been a religious turn in the development sector with the World Bank and national funding agencies in Europe and the US opening the space to Faith Based Organisations (FBOs). However, for some Islamic FBOs, this has not led to a comfortable assertion of their religious identity and mission on the world stage. Rather, in the post 9/11 environment, some Islamic FBOs have opted to develop an ‘invisible Islam’ wherein they background their religion through secularizing their language with a view to better integrating into the normative aid sector. Drawing on the work of Marie Juul Petersen and reflecting on the author’s own fieldwork on the Gülen Movement (GM), this paper will unpack this development. In doing so, it will highlight that the practice by GM is only a semantic exercise to cover its ongoing religious mission on account of continued hostility towards Islamic actors.
This chapter sets out the theoretical framework of the book. It is divided into two major sections. Section one is a review of the literature on the re-emergence of religion in international politics and the ‘faith and development’ agenda. It traces the emergence of scholarly interest in bringing back and analysing religion in the study of international politics. The analysis then narrows to examine the ‘faith and development’ agenda, which is one aspect of the resurgence of religion in international affairs. Scholars and development practitioners are increasingly noting, exploring and learning ways through which faith can be incorporated, systematically, in development policymaking as well as implementation. Section two introduces the theory of new institutionalism, with a particular focus on historical institutionalism. In relation to that, the chapter ends with the presentation of the analytical mechanisms that are used for the analysis in Chapters 3– 6.
This study examines the fatwa of Majelis Ulama Indonesia Medan (MUI) on Istibdal Masjid. This
fatwa gained resistance from Muslim community, especially Forum Umat Islam (FUI) Medan City. This is
because the process behind the emergence of the fatwa is suspected through the process of negotiation with
the beneficiaries, ie developers (developers) in conflict with the mosque manager, in this case represented by
FUI. Using the theory of conflict and resistance, the background of the study was analyzed, the results
showed that conflicting parties, especially Developers with Muslim groups, made the basis of identity
legitimacy as an issue chosen for resistance, ie ethnic and religious issues. Developers in this case represent
ethnic Chinese (Chinese) and non-Muslims. Associated with Istibdal fatwa issued by MUI Medan city, FUI
in this case denounced by justify as pro-developer of scholars. In the end, development policy in Medan still
has many problems, especially related to the construction of public space in which there is a material
element in the form of infrastructure development and identity politics based on religious symbols and
ethnicity.
In her recent book on religions and development, Emma Tomalin asks the following questions: “[I]s religion negative for women’s development and the pursuit of gender equality? Is there a gender consequence that results from engagement with religion?” In an attempt to answer these questions, this chapter will examine whether the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can empower a group of marginalized Buddhist women; support them against existing power relations; and achieve integration over sources of power. Its premise is that the future of humanity rests on how development organizations can negotiate the rights of women in the religious sphere by providing support to women who ground their social work and activism in a religious framework. It suggests that in order to move forward with many new SDGs, including the elimination of poverty, as well as ensuring inclusive health and promoting well-being, quality education, gender equality and empowering women, reduced inequalities, peace justice and strong institutions”, it is imperative to consider the many facets of religious contexts and the increased politicization of culture. The chapter argues for the importance of religious women in social development, a neglected area in development studies.
Studies have shown that religion can support or hinder social development (Haynes 2007; Tomalin 2013). This paper makes a case in favor of how, in Thailand, the demands for greater justice and gender equality have engaged groups of women to seek higher Buddhist ordination as a means to better promote human and social development. Equal religious philanthropic contribution between men and women is presented as a component to democratic participation in the struggling political Kingdom of Thailand. The study finds that the women’s Bud- dhist movement in Thailand capitalizes on the limited welfare resources offered by the government, along with the current institutionalized politics of religious diversity, as defined in the Thai constitution. To present the inequalities and challenges faced by Thai Buddhist women, the function of the Thai Buddhist monastic community (saṅgha) will be portrayed as an organization promoting an “inequality regime.” The governing structural configuration of the saṅgha will be presented as reinforcing social roles divided by oppressive gender conceptions. The Buddhist institution’s inequality regime will be depicted in light of its refusal to ordain bhikkhunīs. The exclusion of Thai Buddhist nuns is situated in eight different lenses: namely, biological, ritual, scriptural, cultural, political, institutional, historical, and legal contexts. Finally, the vital sustainable core to these women is introduced as both a global and a local network of Buddhist women. This is bet- ter known as a glocalization strategy for the promotion of gender equality in Theravāda Buddhism.
This paper explores the shifting roles played by Catholic missionaries heading formally secular NGOs within the historical landscape of Thai Catholicisms. It will be argued that some of these “development missionaries” are trying to promote a “de-Thaification” of normative local Catholicism with the aim to counter-indigenize the Gospels in favor of “non-Thai” marginal groups.
The “awakening” of the indigenous people of Latin America raises the following question: is it accompanied by a religious revitalization and a return to ancestral beliefs and rituals? Religion is, indeed, present in protests and visible movements such as those in Mexico or Ecuador, but religion does not appear to be the principal factor or the deepest source of these movements. Thus, alongside the rapid expansion of evangelicals (especially Pentecostals) among the indigenous communities, we also observe the higher profile and the increased respect achieved by ancestral indigenous religious traditions. Elsewhere, intense missionary activity by various churches has contributed to the emergence of new indigenous leaders, and shamanic rituals function as a means of reaffirmation of ethnic identity and in support of the struggle to recover ancestral lands, a struggle which is acquiring a sacred character. The battle is political and ethnic; it is fought for recognition of indigenous rights, for the specificity of people and their communities, for their ancestral lands, and for their cultural expression. Belief is by no means uniform among indigenous peoples. But there is no doubt that religion is a part of the process of recovery of ethnic identity, even though it is under threat from globalization.
In much international development work, religion has been a marginal, if not an ignored, topic. The inverse applies for many faith institutions, which have viewed the work and thinking of development institutions with skepticism. Research, operational action, joint reflection, and dialogue on common issues have been patchwork. Recent initiatives, notably the Jubilee 2000 campaign spotlight on issues of poor country debt, have highlighted how significant the linkages and areas for exploration are, yet many opportunities for dialogue on topics of common concern and differing perspectives (e.g., education, social impact of modernization, and roots of poverty) are still missed. The events of September 11, 2001, have underscored starkly the powerful links between religion and modernization and posed a host of new questions about how the links operate and how thinkers and actors should respond.
Spirituality is central to many of the daily decisions people in the 'South' make about their own and their community's development, including that of whether or not to participate in risky but potentially beneficial social action. Despite its importance, development literature and development practices have systematically avoided the topic of spirituality. This avoidance results in inferior research and less effective programmes, and ultimately fails to provide participants with opportunities to reflect on how their development and their spirituality will and should shape each other. The author offers some possible explanations for this and suggests ways in which to address spirituality in development theory and practice.
Taking into account the analytical distinction between system levels, this article proposes an integrated perspective of the different processes related to secularization. Several levels of analysis are discussed: the macro, meso, and micro levels, and the interconnectedness between them. Secularisation is seen here as the particularization in the religious subsystem of the general process of functional differentiation on the macro level. The purpose is to propose a more integrated theoretical view of secularization and related processes rather than a paradigm, and to stimulate international comparative research.
This article reviews recent literature on U.S. religious institutions and argues that a new paradigm is emerging in that field, the crux of which is that organized religion thrives in the United States in an open market system, an observation anomalous to the older paradigm's monopoly concept. The article has six sections: first, a brief survey of the paradigm crisis; second, a development of the concept of an open market in the historiography and sociology of U. S. religion; third, fourth, and fifth, arguments that U. S. religious institutions are constitutively pluralistic, structurally adaptable, and empowering; sixth, a consideration of recent religious individualism in the light of the new paradigm. A conclusion sketches some research implications.
The global resurgence of religion and cultural pluralism are challenging international society making authenticity rival development as the key concern of the developing world. Because of this large-scale religious change international society is becoming multicultural for the first time. A new approach to international order is required which overcomes the 'Westphalian presumption' in international relations. A genealogy of religion shows how this presumption is based on Western modernity's invention of religion as a set of privatised doctrines and beliefs, and how these conceptions were crucial for the rise of both the state and international society. If the global resurgence of religion is to be taken seriously, then an earlier social understanding of religion still found in many parts of the developing world, with its concern for authenticity and development, may have to be incorporated into any post-Westphalian international order. Alasdair MacIntyre's social theory helps show how this can be done when it is applied to the English School's concept of international society. 'Virtue-ethics', the approach to ethics related to his social theory, can be used to develop a 'deeper pluralism' among different communities and states in international society.
World politics is entering a new phase, in which the great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of international conflict will be cultural. Civilizations - the highest cultural groupings of people - are differentiated from each other by religion, history, language and tradition. These divisions are deep and increasing in importance. From Yugoslavia to the Middle East to Central Asia, the fault lines of civilizations are the battle lines of the future. In this emerging era of cultural conflict the United States must forge alliances with similar cultures and spread its values wherever possible. With alien civilizations the West must be accommodating if possible, but confrontational if necessary. In the final analysis, however, all civilizations will have to learn to tolerate each other.
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Andy Storey looks at post-development theory's challenge to dominant development paradigms. He offers a critique of the post-development critique and suggests that some of the insights of post-development theory can be of considerable value to those concerned with struggles for social change.Development (2000) 43, 4046. doi:10.1057/palgrave.development.1110194
Is the emergence of new forms of religious life in North America indicative of significant changes in the nature and role
of religion in our society or changes in the character of our culture as a whole? Calling on a divergent array of theoretical
frameworks sociologists have recurrently sought to explain the broader implications of the study of NRMs by aligning them,
in whole or in part, with various perceived anti-modernist, modernist, and post-modernist tendencies in our society. In a
critical overview of some of this disparate literature, this paper argues that certain unnoticed convergences in the positions
taken, point to a reading of the cultural significance ofNRMs that transcends the inaccurate tendency to identify NRMs too
exclusively with one side of various essentially invidious dichotomies (e.g., pre-modem and modem, anti-modem and modem, conservative
and liberal, modem and post-modem).
Economic and political developments affect religiosity, and the extent of religious participation and beliefs influence economic performance and political institutions. We study these two directions of causation in a broad cross-country panel that includes survey information over the last 20 years on church attendance and an array of religious beliefs. Although religiosity declines overall with economic development, the nature of the response varies with the dimension of development. Church attendance and religious beliefs are positively related to education (thereby conflicting with theories in which religion reflects non-scientific thinking) and negatively related to urbanization. Attendance also declines with higher life expectancy and lower fertility. We investigate the effects of official state religions, government regulation of the religion market, Communism, religious pluralism, and the denominational composition of religious adherence. On the other side, we find that economic growth responds positively to the extent of some religious beliefs but negatively to church attendance. That is, growth depends on the extent of believing relative to belonging. These results hold up when we use as instrumental variables the measures of official state religion, government regulation, and religious pluralism.
Development and Today’s African Christianity”, unpublished paper, School of Oriental and African Studies
- P Gifford