Religion and Politics in the European Union
The Secular Canopy

This book analyzes the place and influence of religion in European politics.

François Foret (Author)

9781107082717, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 February 2015

338 pages, 3 b/w illus. 19 tables
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.8 cm, 0.66 kg

'Foret's closely argued and impressively researched book builds on the MEPs' survey with ?eldwork in Brussels, Strasbourg, and Washington, and overall provides a fascinating overview of the role of religion in one of the EU's few democratically-accountable institutions.' Jeffrey Haynes, Democratization

This book analyzes the place and influence of religion in European politics. François Foret presents the first data ever collected on the religious beliefs of European decision makers and what they do with these beliefs. Discussing popular assumptions such as the return of religion, aggressive European secularism, and religious lobbying, Foret offers objective data and non-normative conceptual frameworks to clarify some major issues in the contemporary political debate.

1. Religion in the framing of a European polity
2. Religion in the selection of European rulers: is the EU Christian democratic, secularist, or neutral?
3. Religion in the European electoral process: more than a trace, less than a path
4. Religion and political socialization in Brussels
5. Religion and public action in the EU
6. Legitimization of the EU: meeting religion in the public sphere
7. Religion in the external identity of the EU
Appendix: presentation of the survey 'relep': method, sample, range, and limits of the data.

Subject Areas: Regional government [JPR], Political ideologies [JPF], Comparative politics [JPB], Political science & theory [JPA], Politics & government [JP], Sociology: customs & traditions [JHBT], Social groups [JFS], Popular beliefs & controversial knowledge [JFH]