Multi-Sided Roles of Religion, Identity and Power in Politics

Abstract

This chapter is the theoretical skeleton of the book, explaining how religion can be a part of the state identity and how religion-oriented state identity affect the power resources and notions of the state in foreign policy. This chapter studies religion as one element of state identity among other elements, and various outcomes of religious state identity as an element of power in international relations. Furthermore, it employs a constructivist reading of religion within politics and international relations, and explains the theoretical contribution of the book: the ambivalence of religion-oriented soft power.