Democracy, Religion, and Commerce: Private Markets and the Public Regulation of Religion

This collection explores the relationship between religion, state, and market, highlighting the role of the market in secularizing religious conflict. "Free market religion" legislates good religion as private, with no formal relationship to government, and personal. The volume seeks to complicate this conflation and invite further analysis of the place of religion in public life, providing a valuable resource for researchers and academics in law, religion, ethics, and economics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 202 pages
Publication date: 13 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This collection delves into the intricate relationship between religion, state, and the market, highlighting the remarkable capacity of the market to shape and transform religious conflict. While employing a metaphorical comparison, it suggests that religious freedom operates akin to market freedom, leading to the widespread recognition of "free market religion" as a general understanding of the nature of religion. This concept defines "good religion" as one that aligns with free market principles, emphasizing its privatization, lack of formal government involvement, and individual nature, rooted in belief and conscience. As naturalized elements of historically contingent and discursively maintained beliefs about religion, these criteria possess ethical and regulatory implications. Consequently, the metaphor has evolved beyond a mere descriptive portrayal to become an instrumental force in culture and law.

The primary objective of this volume is to intricately complicate and extend the analysis of this simplistic conflation of democracy, religion, and the market. It seeks to engage scholars from diverse disciplines to explore the profound implications of markets and shed light on the role of religion in public life. By examining the extent to which markets are implicated and illuminating the place of religion in society, this book aims to provide valuable insights for researchers and academics working in the fields of law, religion, ethics, and economics.

The book will serve as a comprehensive resource for scholars and practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of the complex interplay between religion, state, and the market. It will offer a rich tapestry of perspectives and methodologies, fostering a deeper dialogue and contributing to the ongoing scholarly discourse on these critical topics.

Weight: 424g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032313436