Berkley Center

In this lecture, given as the 9th Annual AELEX Lecture in Lagos, Nigeria, Timothy Shah argues that religious freedom can be directly tied to political security and economic development. Shah demonstrates a link between the outbreak of religious violence and rising expectations among religious groups, which are then denied through restrictions on religious freedom. These denied rising expectations in turn can spark religious conflicts, which create insecurity and prevent economic development. Thus, Shah argues, religious freedom is essential to the creation of security and stability, without which economic development cannot be sustained.