Conclusion—Assessing the Evidence for the "Different Religions, Different Politics" Hypotheses

This work is about the influence religion can have on politics. The topic presupposes that religious variables are worthy of study in a political context. Until recently, most political scientists were indifferent or ignored the impact of religion on politics. However, the rise of religious fundamentalisms after the Cold War, notably in Asia and Africa, as well as the increased salience of religion in American public life (e.g. the Christian Right) has refocused scholars on religious variables.