Securing the Sacred: Religion, National Security, and the Western State (Configurations: Critical Studies of World Politics) - Softcover

Bosco, Robert M.

9780472036752: Securing the Sacred: Religion, National Security, and the Western State (Configurations: Critical Studies of World Politics)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0472036750 ISBN 13: 9780472036752

Publisher: University of Michigan Press, 2016

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Western nationshave increasingly recognized religion as a consideration in domesticand foreign policy. In this empirical comparison of the securitization ofIslam in Britain, France, and the United States, Robert M. Bosco arguesthat religion is a category of phenomena defined by the discourses andpolitics of both religious and state elites. Despite significant theoretical distinctions between securitization onthe domestic and the international levels, he finds that the outcomeof addressing religion within the context of security hinges uponpartnerships. Whereas states may harness the power of internationalallies, they cannot often find analogous domestic allies; therefore,states that attempt to securitize religion at home are more vulnerableto counterattack and more likely to abandon their efforts. Securing theSacred makes a significant contribution to the fields of political theory,international relations, Islamic studies, and security/military studies.

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Review:

"Framing religion as a national security matter is perilous, as this short but well-argued volume demonstrates. . . Recommended."
--Choice
"Invitingly and lucidly written, the text is accessibly to lay readers and academics alike and will provoke both audiences equally. Robert Bosco's Securing the Sacred should appear on any syllabus covering religion and politics and is enthusiastically recommended for all scholars of religion and international affairs."
--Critical Research on Religion
"Securing the Sacred provides a superb analysis of the post-9/11 interface between religion, national security, and scholarship in Western foreign policy discourse. This is a must read for students and scholars in security studies and the sociology of public policy."
-- Peter Mandaville, George Mason University

About the Author:

Robert M. Bosco is Assistant Professor of International Studies at CentreCollege.

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