Berkley Center

What historical, sociological, or theological factors help to explain the contemporary relationship between religion and politics in various national contexts? How does religion and nation-state formation impact critical issues, from national governance to international relations?

Jocelyne Cesari offers a new view of religion and nationalism in her latest book, "We God’s People: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism in the World of Nations" (Cambridge University Press, December 2021), which explores the politicization of religion in China, India, Russia, Syria, and Turkey.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected relations between the Russian state and the Orthodox Church? In what ways does the history of religion and nationhood in Russia inform church and state approaches to the pandemic?