This is a powerfully argued book that makes an original case for a modern understanding of religion and politics and illustrates it brilliantly through the cases of Ireland, Senegal, and the Philippines. I predict that it will become a major work in a fast-growing field and set a new standard for excellence.
Daniel Philpott, director of the Program on ... Read moreReligion & Reconciliation, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Buckley's concept of benevolent secularism enriches the comparative politics literature on religion and society. A brilliant example of using field research in multiple countries for theory building.
Alfred Stepan, Columbia University This is going to be an influential work shaping the emergent field of the comparative politics of secularism. The original concepts of benevolent secularism and secular evolution, drawn from the rich historical analysis of Irish, Senegalese, and Filipino secularism, throughout a century and across two religious traditions and three continents, are likely to prove particularly fruitful in many other settings.
Jose Casanova, Georgetown University Show Less