Inclusion without moderation: political violence and democratic participation by religious groups
Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The central goal of this dissertation is to explain the continued use of political violence by religious groups after their associated political parties obtain inclusion in the political system. According to the Inclusion-Moderation hypothesis, militant political actors moderate their behavior as a result of inclusion in democratic political processes. The transition from violence to peaceful politics is often conceptualized as linear and unidirectional. However, this does not explain the behavior of movements that practice militant activity simultaneously with political participation. I examine this phenomenon by studying three cases of religious militancy that coincide with democratic participation. These cases are Shia Islamism in Lebanon, Hindu nationalism in India, and Buddhist nationalism in Sri Lanka. ☐ In each case, this research tests four hypothesized necessary conditions for political violence derived from the literatures on democratic moderation, terrorism, religious ideology, and ethnic conflict. It finds that perceived religious obligation is not a necessary condition for religious militancy. Additionally, blocked legal avenues and the tactical effectiveness of violence are not necessary conditions for religious militancy in the absence of movement consolidation. The only necessary condition which is supported in each case is the framing of narratives that evoke fear and hostility towards outgroups. This research proposes important modifications of the Inclusion-Moderation hypothesis regarding the ability and incentives of movements to moderate their behavior. Additionally, it reveals an important distinction between “religion as theology,” and “religion as identity,” with the latter behaving similarly to ethnic or national identities which motivate violence when combined with prejudice and fear.
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Keywords
Democratic participation, Political violence, Terrorism, Political system, Inclusion-Moderation hypothesis, Peaceful politics, Military activity, Political participation, Sri Lanka, Buddhist nationalism, Hindu nationalism, Lebanon, Religious militancy, Prejudice, National identity