Religion and Democracy in the Thought of Jürgen Habermas

Portier, Philippe

doi:10.1007/s12115-011-9470-3

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…In Habermas' case, our selected concern is the secular framing of the public sphere and the changes that can be seen between his early and his later work. Unlike many theorists, Habermas has performed a dramatic and clear about turn in his own theory, admitting that his earlier work was wrong (Portier 2011). This concerns the place of religion in the public sphere.…”

Section: Four Contemporary Theorists Of Secularism the Public Spherementioning

confidence: 99%

The Secular Realm as Interfaith Space: Discourse and Practice in Contemporary Multicultural Nation-States

Hedges

2019

Religions

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While classically posited as the separation of religion from public life, it is suggested that the contemporary secular public sphere in multicultural contexts has become a habitat for interfaith dialogue. Looking at dynamics in classical secular theory as well as some recent theorists of secularism and multiculturalism, most particularly Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, Tariq Modood, and Rajeev Bhargava, it is shown that far from being hostile to religion much of the practice of secularism is often entwined with particular discourses of religious norms. Using spatial theory, especially that of Lefebvre, four cameos from the UK, USA, Singapore, and India are used as indicative of the way that interfaith discourse is embedded in various aspects of the secular public sphere from governmental, through official Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), to grassroots levels such that as forum externum religion is accepted in this space as interfaith dialogue. It is argued that a conceptual linkage of interfaith motifs is, if not inherent, then at least embedded in the secular realm in the contemporary multicultural context.

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Section: Four Contemporary Theorists Of Secularism the Public Spherementioning

confidence: 99%

The Secular Realm as Interfaith Space: Discourse and Practice in Contemporary Multicultural Nation-States

Hedges

2019

Religions

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“…Habermas's transformation is discussed and analyzed in Portier (2011). been depicted. On the contrary, it has been conceived as a mission that stretched from its particular agent to humanity as a whole.…”

Section: Religion and The American Missionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Origins and Character of American Exceptionalism

Ceaser

2012

American Political Thought

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JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. The University of Chicago Press and The Jack Miller Center are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to American Political Thought.

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“…Religion has an important role in the promotion of peace and the entrenchment of ideal principles of democracy such as social justice, respect for the rule of law, accountable leadership, equity, inclusion, political accountability, effective service delivery, and ensuring that the electoral and democratic process is peaceful, fair, credible, and civil (Portier 2011;Huhtala and Holma 2019). The Nigerian democratic experiment has been characterized by sharp religious differences predominantly between Christians and Muslims (Njoku and Njoku 2013;Hassan and Umar 2014;Atoi and Babale 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Democracy, Peace, and Religion in Nigeria: Can Religion Be Used to Consolidate or Undermine Democracy and Peace?

Jatau,

Maza

2023

Religions

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This study looks at the relationships between religion, democracy, and peace. It is based on this premise that this article examines how religion is used to consolidate democracy and promote peace in societies, using Nigeria as its framework of analysis. Using the qualitative method of analysis where emphasis is placed on primary and secondary documents, which involve articles, reports, and newspaper articles triangulating with key informant interviews (KIIs) and stakeholder analysis, the findings of this article suggest that religion plays a significant role in the consolidation of democracy and peace given its important place in advocating some principles and ideals of democracy, which involve equity, fairness, freedom, pluralism, respect for diversities, and defending minority rights, amongst others. However, challenges associated with the weaponization of religion to pursue selfish political agenda and interests by both religious and political elites in Nigeria has become more of a norm than what is expected between both variables. This has helped in the creation of a hostile and unstable political environment, and in the pervasion of democratic and political institutions and agencies responsible for promoting accountable leadership, good governance, representative governance, political interference, and repressive policies, limiting the rights and freedoms of citizens who continue to impede the enhancement of a strongly consolidated democratic culture and peace in transition democracies such as Nigeria. This article suggests the need for relevant actors to ensure that institutions of the state are strengthened to provide the dividends of democracy. This can be achieved by addressing the challenge of the negative use of religion by the elites to advance unholy political interests and agenda. It is also important to create machinery to address the structural problems that breed poverty; political, economic, and social exclusion; and human rights abuses, limiting political and electoral freedoms. Addressing these challenges also requires relevant stakeholders and actors to understand that the process is multi-pronged, which also requires acknowledging, accommodating, and accepting individual and group diversities and, above all, requires the patience and the political will of these actors to ensure its actualization. Addressing these concerns will significantly strengthen and enhance the consolidation of democracy and peace in fragile and transition societies.

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Religion and Democracy in the Thought of Jürgen Habermas

Cited by 14 publications

References 0 publications

The Secular Realm as Interfaith Space: Discourse and Practice in Contemporary Multicultural Nation-States

The Secular Realm as Interfaith Space: Discourse and Practice in Contemporary Multicultural Nation-States

The Origins and Character of American Exceptionalism

Democracy, Peace, and Religion in Nigeria: Can Religion Be Used to Consolidate or Undermine Democracy and Peace?

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