Arguing Religion and Politics: Populism, Secularism, and Church-State Relations

This volume underscores the value of building on scholarly capital within South-Eastern Europe, moving the focus from conceptual debates to the contexts from which these debates emerge.
–Marietta D.C. van der Tol, University of Cambridge

Marko Veković and Miroljub Jevtić have brought together a good cast of contributors to their edited volume. The overall importance of the book is clear: it is of interest to anyone seeking to know more about the current situation regarding religion and politics in the world’s hotspots.
–Jeffrey Haynes, London Metropolitan University

This collection of essays convincingly shows why neglecting religion as a factor in political analysis is untenable. It is an indispensable resource for understanding how religion continues to shape social and political life in profound ways.
–Siniša Zrinščak, University of Zagreb

This book offers a timely and original contribution to the field of religion and politics by exploring how religion interacts with political institutions, political parties, law, and public discourse across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Bringing together qualitative and quantitative studies spanning Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, the volume illuminates how religion interacts with populism, law, nationalism, and global governance. Its chapters leverage leading databases, such as the European Values Study, and the 2024 European Parliamentary Election Study, as well as ethnography, discourse analysis, and semi-structured interviews to demonstrate that religion is not a peripheral force but rather an important political factor that significantly shapes contemporary governance and society worldwide.

Marko Veković is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade, Serbia.

Miroljub Jevtić (co-editor) is a Retired Full Professor at University of Belgrade, Serbia.

Marko Veković is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade, Serbia.

Miroljub Jevtić (co-editor) is a Retired Full Professor at University of Belgrade, Serbia.