ABSTRACT
Although it would be ideal to examine all European nations and their historic relationships with religion in as much depth as the previous cases, it cannot be done in any concentrated form. Therefore, this book has examined the relationship between religion and national identity in three of the most prominent cases of religious nationalism in Europe. Because this case selection has limitations (as does any case selection), it is worth taking some time, albeit more briefly, to examine the other nations in Europe that might prove relevant to the question at hand. Although this discussion must be limited, it does allow for some context to be included. This approach allows us to examine the theory in a wider context and to see whether the proposed combination of factors fits in secular nations as well. It also isolates outliers, which can then be investigated for further clarification. Several issues must be addressed before dealing with the cases them-
selves. First, the choice of cases needs clarification. Although this is an examination of nationalism, I have opted for a state-by-state analysis. This allows for a clearer demarcation of cases. In other words, the inclusion of “nations” at either the substate or the interstate level would add a significant number of cases and would lead to a great deal of debate regarding what constitutes a nation. In addition, the previous three cases have all been examined at the state level. Doing so in this chapter allows for continuity. Studying substate groups can help to illuminate the puzzle, and they will be referred to throughout this chapter (in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, etc.). A future study could also examine the power of this theory at the substate level. Second, not all states will be included. Those states with a population of
less than 100,000 (Andorra, San Marino, Monaco, Vatican City, Liechtenstein) will be excluded, because these states lack much of a nationalist movement. Also, the investigation will be limited to the traditional conception of Europe. So, Russia will be included, but Turkey will be excluded. There is no conflict of interest in this decision as Turkey does not challenge the general formula laid out in this book. The states will be examined by relevant groupings, beginning with confirming cases of religious nationalism, then proceeding to confirming cases of secular nationalism
(states that lacked one or both of the causal factors of religious frontiers and threats). Finally, potential outliers and clear outliers will be examined.
