Evangelicals and Electoral Politics in Latin America: A Kingdom of This World

Religious minorities are well-represented and politically influential in some democracies due to significant threats to their material interests and worldview, and when their community is not divided by cross-cutting cleavages. Differences in Latin American evangelicals' political ambitions emerged as a result of two critical junctures: secular reform and sexuality politics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 315 pages
Publication date: 26 January 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Why are religious minorities well represented and politically influential in some democracies but not others? This book explores the factors that contribute to the representation and influence of religious minorities in Latin America, particularly focusing on evangelical Christians. It argues that religious minorities seek and gain electoral representation when they face significant threats to their material interests and worldview, and when their community is not internally divided by cross-cutting cleavages.

Differences in Latin American evangelicals' political ambitions emerged as a result of two critical junctures: episodes of secular reform in the early twentieth century and the rise of sexuality politics at the turn of the twenty-first century. In Brazil, significant threats at both junctures prompted extensive electoral mobilization; in Chile, minimal threats meant that mobilization lagged. In Peru, where major cleavages divide both evangelicals and broader society, threats prompt less electoral mobilization than otherwise expected.

The multi-method argument leverages interviews, content analysis, survey experiments, ecological analysis, and secondary case studies of Colombia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala to explore these dynamics. The book argues that the representation and influence of religious minorities in Latin America are shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including historical legacies, social structures, political institutions, and cultural norms. It highlights the importance of understanding these factors in order to promote greater political inclusion and equality for all religious communities in the region.

In conclusion, this book provides a valuable contribution to the study of religious minorities and politics in Latin America. It sheds light on the factors that contribute to the representation and influence of religious minorities in the region, and offers insights into the challenges and opportunities that these communities face. By understanding the dynamics of religious minority politics, policymakers and activists can work towards promoting greater political inclusion and equality for all religious communities in Latin America.

Weight: 658g
Dimension: 236 x 159 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009275071