The Price of Freedom Denied
The Price of Freedom Denied
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The Price of Freedom Denied shows that, contrary to popular opinion, ensuring religious freedom for all reduces violent religious persecution and conflict. Others have suggested that restrictions on religion are necessary to maintain order or preserve a peaceful religious homogeneity. Brian J. Grim and Roger Finke show that restricting religious freedoms is associated with higher levels of violent persecution. Relying on a new source of coded data for nearly 200 countries and case studies of six countries, the book offers a global profile of religious freedom and religious persecution. Grim and Finke report that persecution is evident in all regions and is standard fare for many. They also find that religious freedoms are routinely denied and that government and the society at large serve to restrict these freedoms. They conclude that the price of freedom denied is high indeed.
- Offers a global profile of religious freedom and persecution, including information on nearly 200 countries and selected case studies
- Explains variation in religious persecution across countries and religious traditions, offering an explanation of why persecution tends to be higher among some populations
- Demonstrates and documents how religious freedoms are denied by the government and the society at large
- Argues that religious freedoms serve to defuse the potential conflict and reduce the level of violent religious persecution
Reviews & endorsements
“We have all heard numerous anecdotes about religious persecution around the world. Now, Brian Grim and Roger Finke provide the most comprehensive empirical overview of persecution available to date, detailing both when and where it is occurring. As an added bonus, their research explains why such persecution occurs. This book sets a new standard for research on religious freedom and should be in easy reach of any scholar, missionary or human rights activist interested in the just treatment of people of faith.”
—Anthony Gill, University of Washington, host of Research on Religion
“A true global landmark, this work is one of the most important contributions to the struggle for religious freedom and international peace since the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. With rigor and flair, Grim and Finke probe the timeless question of why religious liberty matters. Their answer is theoretically elegant and empirically powerful: restrictions on religious freedom produce persecution and conflict, undermine democracy, and contribute to terrorism and international instability. For policy makers and religious leaders across the globe, this book offers a way to navigate the crucible of the 21st century—living with our differences in a volatile world.”
—Allen Hertzke, University of Oklahoma
“This is the most necessary book I have encountered in many years.”
—Rodney Stark, Baylor University, author of The Rise of Christianity
“achieves something truly rare in the social world: nomological insight and elegance." -Allen D. Hertzke, Books and Culture
Product details
January 2011Adobe eBook Reader
9780511985003
0 pages
0kg
32 b/w illus. 29 tables
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- 1. Religious persecution: pervasive and pernicious
- 2. Religious freedom: broken promises
- 3. Persecution: the price of freedoms denied
- 4. A closer look: Japan, Brazil and Nigeria
- 5. A closer look: China, India and Iran
- 6. What about Muslim-majority countries?
- 7. Do religious freedoms really matter?
- Appendix. Testing the competing arguments.
