Religious Monopolies and the Commodification of Religion

Baughman, Shima Baradaran; Scharffs, Brett G.; Clark, Elizabeth A.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.2609510

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…With relevance to religion we have already touched upon the use of neoclassical economic theory in the academic study of religious regulation since the 1990s. Some legal scholars have also argued that arguments in favour of special protection made by dominant religions appear to resemble arguments in favour of special treatment made by industrial monopolies (Baradaran-Robison et al, 2005). In the policy world political scientists have observed that contemporary governments treat churches not very unlike other types of organised interest groups; that is, as actors that 'compete for resources and regulatory sympathy' (Francis, 1992, pp.…”

Section: The 'Society As Economy' Logicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Churches as firms: An exploration of regulatory similarities

Patrikios

Francesco

2018

Socio-Economic Review

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Regulatory states manage religious activity within their jurisdiction in the same way they manage economic activity, in an alignment pattern that reflects institutionally embedded processes. Relying on regulatory institutional options to trace consistencies in the way a regime manages economic and religious activity, the article develops and tests theoretical accounts of the presence and content  in terms of comparative variation  of this alignment. The empirical setting, primarily OECD countries in recent decades, allows us to reverse a conventional causal view and treat religious regulation as causally embedded in the logic and practice of economic regulation. If reliance on regulation as a means of social control is bound by the same processes across domains, this may even suggest the existence of national cross-sectoral models of coordinating competition. The study elaborates a broad conceptualisation of regulatory governance with potentially wide applicability.

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Section: The 'Society As Economy' Logicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Churches as firms: An exploration of regulatory similarities

Patrikios

Francesco

2018

Socio-Economic Review

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“…Baradaran‐Robison et al. (:896–97) explain that “states have raised the burden of competing in some countries through registration requirements” and they note that arguments in favor of economic and religious protectionism are similar. This is particularly true when the restricted religions are perceived as foreign.…”

Section: Registration As a Mechanism For Reducing Freedommentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The registration requirements also are promoted as protections against “fraud and unscrupulous promoters” such as “cults” and other religions that are charged with engaging in “fraud and deception” (Baradaran‐Robison et al. :901–25).…”

Section: Registration As a Mechanism For Reducing Freedommentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Impact of Religious Registration

Finke

Mataic

Fox

2017

Scientific Study of Religion

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Religious groups often rely on a registration process to receive the legal status needed to operate openly. Yet, the registration process has become a recent source of controversy. This research uses case studies, trend data from three global collections, and fixed effects models using 19 waves of data to test for the consequences of introducing registration requirements within a nation. The case studies help us to understand the controversies and to identify how registration requirements have been used to increase restrictions on religions in the past, while the trend data document the increasing use of these requirements for discriminating against religions. Finally, the fixed effects models find that introducing registration requirements within a nation was followed by increased religious restrictions, especially for minority religions.

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“…30 More concerning, state restrictions almost always focus upon religious minorities, which may radicalize those minorities and potentially exacerbate violence. 31 Thus, in addition to infringing protected rights and harming the very constituents they are intended to protect, 32 protectionist state restrictions can spark, rather than quell, further conflict:…”

Section: Voluntary Codes Of Conduct As An Alternative To Governmmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…35 Simultaneously, state restrictions designed to protect dominant religions or ideologies can also embolden the dominant society to further aggression or violence against the minority. 36 Grim and Finke describe the phenomenon as the "religious violence cycle," which occurs as "social restrictions on religious freedom lead to government restrictions on religious freedom and the two act in tandem to increase the level of violence related to religion-which in turn cycles back and leads to even higher social and government restrictions on religion". 37 Given these limitations hobbling state regulations, a growing number of religious communities and nongovernmental organizations offer voluntary codes of conduct as an alternative.…”

Section: Voluntary Codes Of Conduct As An Alternative To Governmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voluntary Codes of Conduct for Religious Persuasion: Effective Tools for Balancing Human Rights and Resolving Conflicts?

Svendsen¹,

Bless²,

Richards³

2011

Religion Hum Rights

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Attempts by people of faith to persuade others to their beliefs can provoke conflicts—even violence—in communities intent on protecting their privacy and identity. Both advocates and targets claim the protection of competing human rights, which must be balanced. Voluntary codes of conduct offer a viable alternative to government regulation. This article evaluates twenty-one codes and identifies which have greatest potential for conflict-resolution. Effective codes balance competing rights consistent with international law norms, respect multiple traditions, and address a general audience. They motivate compliance, provide a platform for dialogue, and promote the pluralism necessary to freedom of conscience. In contrast, codes focused on a single faith’s or network’s own constituencies are less likely to prevent or resolve conflicts because they tend to advocate a sectarian view and sometimes violate international law. Like aggressive state regulations, these codes can perpetuate rather than prevent conflict.

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Religious Monopolies and the Commodification of Religion

Cited by 4 publications

References 1 publication

Churches as firms: An exploration of regulatory similarities

Churches as firms: An exploration of regulatory similarities

Assessing the Impact of Religious Registration

Voluntary Codes of Conduct for Religious Persuasion: Effective Tools for Balancing Human Rights and Resolving Conflicts?

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