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Religion and Public Policy

Institutional, Cultural, and Political Impact on the Shaping of Abortion Policies in Western Democracies

Europa-Universität Viadrina

This article addresses the relationship between religion and politics in liberal democracies from a public policy angle. The analysis shows that contrary to the general secularization thesis, there is a visible religious impact on public policy, but it varies according to what measure of secularization is used. Confessional heritage (Catholicism versus Protestantism) and cultural values (levels of religiosity) are better predictors than institutional differentiation or political mobilization. When confessional heritage is held constant, the institutional impact increases. It is not surprising that Catholic countries produce less than fully liberal abortion policies, but the most restrictive abortion policies are found in those Catholic countries where high levels of religiosity persist. Moreover, a strong presence of religious parties is not associated with restrictive abortion policies, but in all countries with moderate to high levels of religiosity and with strong Christian Democratic parties and only there, moderate or "distress" models of abortion exist.

Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2, 221-247 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/0010414002035002004


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