How populists engage religion: mechanisms and evidence from the Philippines. Issue 8 (17th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Buckley, David T.; Brooke, Steven; Kleinsteuber, Bryce
• Is Part Of: Democratization. Volume 29:Issue 8(2022)
• Page Start: 1455
• Page End: 1475
• Publication Date: 2022-11-17
• Subjects: Populism -- religion -- Philippines -- democracy -- backsliding; Democracy -- Periodicals; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Democratization -- Periodicals; 321.8
• DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2022.2067532
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-0347

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Despite increasing interest in populism and religion, scholars generally lack a conceptual foundation to distinguish strategies through which populists integrate religion into mobilisation. We use the case of Rodrigo R. Duterte's Philippines to derive a four-part typology of such interactions grounded in distinct dimensions of populism. This typology distinguishes causal mechanisms and clarifies how, even within a single country, populists may opportunistically blend several religious strategies to suit their personalistic political ends. Populists may draw on religious norms and identity to buttress boundaries between in-groups and out-groups, credibly signal their outsider status by challenging religious hierarchies, leverage personalistic linkages to religious elites, and deploy a populist style with religious affinities. We trace how such strategies may cement religious support, and, at times, motivate religious resistance to populist rule. A systematic subnational assessment correlating religious demographics and Duterte's voteshare in his 2016 election across over 40, 000 Philippine subdistricts evaluates empirical implications of each pathway using relevant religious communities.