The Law of Religious Identity:Models for Post-Communism

The study of democratization and constitutional development in post-communist societies raises issues which go beyond specific institutional arrangements initiated in post-communist societies to probe some of the fundamental themes in religion and politics. The Law of Religious Identity: Models for Post-Communism comprises conference-generated papers spanning a wide area of discourse, from theoretical treatises about the role of religion in the public sphere to monographical studies of specific problems of church and state relations in Central and Eastern Europe. The essays in this volume address the need to clarify the assumptions and consequences of the once unassailable belief in traditional liberal political thought, the notion of `state neutrality'. Three key issues form a thread through the work: 1. the relationship of religion to the public space, 2. the meaning of religion in the construction of a modern, liberal concept of citizenship, and 3. the intertwining of religion and nationalism. The Law of Religious Identity: Models for Post-Communism treats these themes via a variety of highly diverse approaches, all of which are scholarly, multi-layered, and extremely provocative. Scholars in a broad range of fields -- religious studies, history, philosophy, and others -- will appreciate the high quality of this work and its ability to inspire thought, conversation, and writing on several highly controversial issues.