Religious Parties and the Politics of Civil Liberties

Religious parties are increasingly common in all parts of the world. Their rise in Muslim-majority countries has been particularly prominent as they increasingly participate in elections, win legislative seats and join governments. Since they are often founded on orthodox principles that are inconsistent with liberal democracy, the consequences of their rise and success for the prospects of liberal democratic values and practices has inspired much heated debate and discussion. This book considers a question that has been central in these debates: will the rise and success of religious parties lead to declines in the civil liberties of their citizens?

Vineeta Yadav is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Penn State University. She specializes in South Asian politics and has authored several books looking at the actions, political influence, and impact of lobbies in developing countries. Her book on business lobbies and their impact corruption, Political Parties, Business Groups, and Corruption in Developing Countries (Oxford) won two book awards and an honourable mention for a third award from the American Political Science Association.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Religious Parties and Religious Organizations: The Fruits of Partnership
Chapter 3: Religious Parties, Religious Organizations and the Decline of Civil Liberties
Chapter 4: The Institutionalization of Religious Organizations in MMCs: Statistical Evidence
Chapter 5: Civil Liberties in Muslim-Majority Countries: Statistical Evidence
Chapter 6: The Fall of an Icon: Institutionalization of Religious Organizations: Turkey
Chapter 7: Resilience and Decline: Religious Parties, Religious Organizations and Institutionalization in Pakistan
Chapter 8: The Fall of an Icon: The Decline in Civil Liberties in Turkey
Chapter 9: Resilience and Decline: Civil Liberties in Pakistan
Chapter 10: Conclusion: Summary and Implications for Future Research
Appendices
References