How does international context influence state policies toward religious minorities? Using parliamentary proceedings, court decisions, newspaper archives, and interviews, this book is the first systematic study that employs international context in the study of state policies toward religion, and that compares Turkey and France with regard to religious minorities. Comparing Christians in Turkey and Muslims in France, this book argues that policy change toward minorities becomes possible when strong domestic actors find a suitable international context that can help them execute their policy agendas. The Turkish Islamists used the European Union to transform the Turkish politics that brought a reformist moment for Christians in the 2000s. The Far Right in France utilized the rise of Islamophobia in Europe to adopt restrictive policies toward Muslims. Ramazan Kılınç argues that the presence of an international context that can favor particular groups over others, shifts the domestic balance of power, and makes some policies more likely to be implemented than others.
Author(s): Ramazan Kilinç
Series: Cambridge studies in social theory, religion, and politics
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 284
01.0_pp_i_i_Alien_Citizens
02.0_pp_ii_iv_Cambridge_Studies_in_Social_Theory_Religion_and_Politics
03.0_pp_v_v_Alien_Citizens
04.0_pp_vi_vi_Copyright_page
05.0_pp_vii_viii_Dedication
06.0_pp_ix_ix_Contents
07.0_pp_x_x_Figures
08.0_pp_xi_xi_Tables
09.0_pp_xii_xiii_Acknowledgments
10.0_pp_xiv_xiv_Abbreviations
11.0_pp_1_36_Introduction
11.1_pp_3_36_Rethinking_State_Policies_toward_Religious_Minorities
12.0_pp_37_84_Historical_Institutions
12.1_pp_39_60_Secularism_and_Christians_in_Turkey
12.2_pp_61_84_Secularism_and_Muslims_in_France
13.0_pp_85_128_International_Context
13.1_pp_87_106_The_European_Union_and_Christians_in_Turkey
13.2_pp_107_128_Islamophobia_and_Muslims_in_France
14.0_pp_129_180_Domestic_Actors_and_Policy_Change
14.1_pp_131_152_Kemalists_Conservatives_and_Christians_in_Turkey
14.2_pp_153_180_Radical_Right_Liberals_and_Muslims_in_France
15.0_pp_181_218_Conclusion
15.1_pp_183_205_Testing_the_Argument_Beyond_the_Scope_of_the_Study
15.2_pp_206_218_Conclusion
16.0_pp_219_246_Bibliography
17.0_pp_247_252_Index