In the first seminar of the Alfred Landecker Programme's seminar series on religion, populism and democracy, Dr Luca Ozzano (Turin) presents his new book, The masks of the political God: religion and political parties in contemporary democracies.

In the book, Luca analyses the influence of religion on political parties and party politics in contemporary democracies. He compares five cases of democracies belonging to different geographic-cultural areas and marked by different religious majorities: India, Israel, Italy, Turkey and the United States of America. Unlike most scholarship on religion and political parties, his study includes all religiously oriented parties (with an influence of religion on party manifestos, constituencies and/or factions) even if they are officially secular. This particular approach facilitates a more sophisticated understanding of influences of religion beyond a formal binary of secular/religious political parties. Dr Tobias Cremer (Oxford) will provide a response based on his research into religious influences on right-wing populism parties.

Alfred Landecker Seminar Series: Religion, populism and democracy

In anticipation of a series of workshops and conferences in collaboration with Cambridge, Utrecht, Yale, Göttingen and Helsinki (Autumn 2021–Winter 2023), this spring, the Alfred Landecker Programme presents a series of seminars on the theme of religion, populism and democracy. Save the date for future events in the series:

• 'We God's people: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism in the world of nations' with Jocelyne Cesari (Birmingham) and a response from Phil Gorksi (Yale) – Tuesday 2 March, 17:00–18:30
• Tbc – Tuesday 20 April, 17:00–18:30
• 'Gaps in the protection of religious minorities through international law' with Nazila Ghanea (Oxford) – Tuesday 18 May, 17:30–19:00
• 'Securitisation and the protection of minorities' with Beatrice de Graaf (Utrecht) and a response by Federica d’Alessandra (Oxford) – Tuesday 1 June, 17:30–19:00

Please note: The seminars are held as meetings via Zoom. For more information and to make a request to participate, please email marietta.vandertol@bsg.ox.ac.uk.