XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 15-21, 2018)

364

Rethinking the Religion and Social Policy Nexus at a Global Level

RC19 Sociology of Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy (host committee)

Language: English

Even in relatively secularised societies, religion remains a significant topic in social policy debates. Much has been written in recent years. However, the literature remains overly fragmented and loosely connected to theoretically-grounded social and public policy analyses. This stream aims at creating a fruitful dialogue among researchers studying the religion-social policy nexus, also promoting the extention of the analysis beyond Western societies, through one or more of the following analytical lenses:

• the political party level, by looking at political parties with explicit religious inspirations and their role in fostering welfare reforms (supporting or against the welfare state);

• the faith-based organization level, by analysing the role faith-based or religiously-affiliated organizations play in advocating, fostering and running welfare programs;

• the individual level, by focusing on the nexus between individual values and orientations, in particular the values related to individual faith (and church attendance), and views about what role the social policy system should play in society.

Comparative papers and in-depth country studies of one or more the three levels of analysis listed above are especially welcomed. Moreover, the stream organizers are interested in papers reconstructing the role of political parties, faith-based organisations, and/or individual values and preferences with reference to social policy history, but also in the role these actors play in social policy nowadays. The organizers welcome papers studying the religion-social policy nexus in various regions of the world (from Latin America to North America, MENA countries, Western and Central-Eastern Europe, India, etc.).