How the Religious Cleavages of Civil Society Shape National Identity. (27th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schnabel, Annette; Hjerm, Mikael
• Is Part Of: SAGE Open. Volume 4:Number 1(2014:Jan./Mar.)
• Publication Date: 2014-02-27
• Subjects: religion -- civil society -- national identity -- Europe -- MLA -- EVS; Social sciences -- Periodicals; 300.5
• DOI: 10.1177/2158244014525417
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2158-2440

Abstract

This article focuses on religion and the embeddedness in civil society. We examine the relationship between religion and national identity (ethnic and civic). Our findings show that individual religiosity continues to play an important role in sustaining both forms of national identity. In addition to other studies, we examine the relationship between religion as a societal phenomenon and individual national identity and find the following: The stronger the relationship between state and religion, the stronger the ethnic identity; the more the religious homogeneity, the stronger the ethnic identity; and there is no relationship between aggregated degree of religious organizations and identity. We conclude that religion continues to play a major role in the making of civil society, but the specific circumstances vary according to the religious representation. In other words, religion can both make and unmake national identity.