Berkley Center

In this analysis for The Geopolitics of Religious Soft Power project, Zachary Zumwalt examines how the Chinese Communist Party has instrumentalized Buddhism and now seeks to export “sinicized” Christianity as a geopolitical influence tool across the Indo-Pacific and beyond. He outlines the strategic risks for Christian-majority nations and recommends expanded U.S. Department of Defense chaplaincy engagement to counter Beijing’s growing religious soft power strategy.

This analysis examines Albania's 2024 proposal to establish a Vatican-style Bektashi microstate and situates it within the country's broader strategy of leveraging religious heritage for international influence. It assesses the initiative's potential implications for Albania's model of religious coexistence, state-religion relations, and domestic political dynamics.

Levi McLaughlin contends that in the post-Shinzo Abe age, we can expect Soka Gakkai and Komeito to remain pivotal forces and for religion, as a whole, to remain a potent force within Japanese politics.