PoDN Ch 5 Reading

To use cultural separateness to seek to achieve autonomy in relation to centralized state. (ex. Sikhs, Tibetans)

Aggregation of diverse groups with state structures dominated by one particular group

To prevent the full flowering of diversity

May use vehicle of political party if government permits; if not - constitutional methods are likely

Active participation of group members will be encouraged in pursuit of political goals

Any necessary means considered

To protect self-proclaimed groups of "religiously pure" against state attempts to belittle religion (for example, HAMAS, FIS)

Society is dichotomized between believers and non-believers. State aims to extend its power to the cost of believers

Regard as seeking to undermine religion's societal roles

May fight elections if allowed. In addition, a wide range of other means may be employed to ahieve political ends

Individual interests seen as subordinate to interests of group

Any necessary means considered

To direct community activities for enhancement of local groups' sekf-interest (ex. Basic Christian Communities, Latin American Indians)

Society comprises diverse interest groups. Local groups need to be aided so that self-interest can be protected and furthered

Seen as indifferent to plight of local communities

Formally uninvolved, but activists may ally with political parties judged to be "progressive"

Popular participation essential to offset elite dominance

Lobbying of political elites and popular mobilization

To achieve higher political standing within national culture of diverse groups (ex. Napramas of Mozambique)

Society comprises diverse groups with one or several often dominating at state level

seen as hostile or indifferent

Will often remain outside formal political process and pursue goals via direct action, lobbying, negotiation with the state

Individual interests seen as synonymous with community goals

Lobbying of political elites and popular mobilization

• 1) Sri Lanka - Buddhist Sinhalese vs. Hindu Tamils
• 2) India - Militant Hinduism

• 1) Thailand - Buddhist political party
• 2) Indonesia & Philippines - ethnic and religious minority groups have fought for years

• 1) Nigeria - Muslims vs. Christians, Ogonis vs. gov't
• 2) Sudan - religious conflict
• 3) Sierra Leone - religious conflict
• 4) Liberia - religious conflict
• 5) Uganda - religious conflict
• 6) Democratic Republic of the Congo - religious conflict

Supernatural realities, sacred (holyness) and ultimacy

Can motivate groups and individuals to act in pursuit of social or political groups

That there is a global religious revitalization: an "unsecularization" of the world

Undermine traditional value systems

A belief in secular ideologies of change, like socialism and communism

Modernization

A set of strategies by which beleaguered believers attempt to preserve their distinctive identity as a people or group in response to real or imagined attacks from non-believers

100,000s of Timorese became Christians to differentiate themselves to Indonesians, who are 90% Muslim

the characteristic of belonging to an ethnic group involving identification with a people one sees as similar to ones self

That the # of ethnic conflicts grew 4x between 1950 and 1955 and 1985 and 1990 during the Cold War

For half a century

Neither!

• 1) Culturalist
• 2) Fundamentalist
• 3) Community-orientated
• 4) Suncretistic

All put forth a message of hope and a program of action, seek to gain popular support to express and direct dissatisfaction with the status quo

Formed by minorities who have particular religious/ethnic characteristics and are repressed by a domina group in control of both economic and political resources.

East Timorese, Muslims in the philippines, India's Sikhs, Southern Sudanese Christian Peoples, Tibetan Buddhists in China, Muslim Palestinians of Israel's territories

Found among rural dwellers in several African and Latin American countries to defend themselves from the state.