Conclusion: reassessing the relation between religion, political actors, and democratization

Abstract

This conclusion places the main findings of the special issue in a wider theoretical context. First, it examines the types of impact on democratization processes that different religiously oriented parties have, highlighting how the progressive and the conservative types are more favourable to democratization. Conversely, the religious nationalist and the fundamentalist types have a more detrimental influence on democratization, although the latter can evolve into a conservative party under specific circumstances. Second, there is a critical re-examination of the moderation through inclusion thesis, whose validity is problematised. Finally, the conclusion deals with the issue of party change and evolution from one type to another, providing a typology that is fluid and allows for parties to move across categories.

Keywords:

• religion
• political parties
• typology
• democratization
• moderation

Notes

Carothers, “The End of the Transition Paradigm.”

O'Donnell and Schmitter, Transitions from Authoritarian Rule.

Langhor, “Too Much Civil Society.”

Rosenblum, “Religious Parties,” 42.

Stepan and Linz, “Democratization Theory and the ‘Arab Spring.’”

Künkler and Leininger, “The Multi-Faceted Role”; Philpott, Shah, and Toft, “From Faith to Freedom”; Brocker and Künkler, “Religious Parties.”

Ozzano, “The Many Faces of the Political God.”

Günther and Diamond, “Types and Functions of Parties.”

Brumberg, “Rhetoric and Strategy”; Schwedler, Faith in Moderation; Schwedler, “A Paradox of Democracy?”

Luna, Monestier, and Rosenblatt, “Religious Parties in Chile.”

Giorgi, “Ahab and the White Whale.”

O'Malley and Walsh, “Religion and Democratization in Northern Ireland.”

Tepe, “The Perils of Polarization and Religious Parties.”

Luna, Monestier, and Rosenblatt, “Religious Parties in Chile”; O'Malley and Walsh, “Religion and Democratization in Northern Ireland.”

See for example Günther and Diamond, “Species of Political Parties”; and Brumberg, “Rhetoric and Strategy.”

Jaffrelot, “Refining the Moderation Thesis.”

Tepe, “The Perils of Polarization and Religious Parties.”

Giorgi, “Ahab and the White Whale.”

Tepe, “The Perils of Polarization and Religious Parties.”

Stepan, “Tunisia's Transition.”

Haqqani, “Islamists and Democracy.”

O'Malley and Walsh, “Religion and Democratization in Northern Ireland.”

Tepe, “The Perils of Polarization and Religious Parties”; Jaffrelot, “Refining the Moderation Thesis.”