Religion and Global Politics explores the complex interaction between faith and public life at the level of both individual societies and the global community. The book starts with a historical and theoretical overview - from the rise of religion as a political force to the establishment of secularism as a founding principle of the modern international system - followed by two sections. Part I focuses on the influence of specific religious traditions in various parts of the world. Part II investigates the roles that religion has played with respect to issues such as human rights, war, terrorism, conflict resolution, and globalization. Emphasizing the enduring potency of religious faith in public life, Religion and Global Politics urges readers to recognize religion as a key motivator of political action.

Paul S. Rowe's profile page

Paul S. Rowe is Associate Professor in Political Studies and Coordinator of International Studies at Trinity Western University, in Langley, BC, Canada. Dr. Rowe grew up in Canada and completed undergraduate and master's work at the University of Toronto and Dalhousie University. He completed his PhD in Political Science at McGill University in 2003. His research interests lie in the politics of religion in the developing world and at the global level, with a special interest in the Middle East and South Asia.

"A book like this is a fine balancing act. . . . This [one] does it very well." --Peter Beyer, University of Ottawa

"Excellent through and through. This is a volume . . . long overdue in the interdisciplinary field of religion and politics. The book can be successfully used with students in political science and religious studies." --Lucien Turcescu, Concordia University