Religious Beliefs and Civil Rights: Comparative Analysis Through the Fuzzy Clustering ECO-Extended Apostle Model

Abstract

This study utilises data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP), Religion module of 2018, to provide a comparative analysis between attitudes towards civil rights (ATCR) and religious beliefs (RB) in thirty-three countries, examining the influence of religion and socio-demographic factors on both latent variables. The study measures ATCR and RB for each respondent using the Fuzzy Hybrid TOPSIS method. Subsequently, Fuzzy Clustering Analysis is applied to ACTR and RB to extend the Classical Apostle Model using a Fuzzy Clustering ECO-Extended Apostle model that categorises individuals into four groups: Religious Conservatives, Non-Religious Conservatives, Non-Religious Liberals, and Religious Liberals, based on their religious beliefs and support for civil rights. The results indicate that parents’ religion impacts both ATCR and RB. Those with atheist or agnostic parents tend to endorse civil rights more openly and are less religious. Additionally, religious event attendance is also a key determinant in shaping ATCR and RB. Furthermore, other sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, income, occupation, and political orientation also play crucial roles.