ABSTRACT
Research interest in the social roles played by religious organisations was limited until the 1980s but has increased since then, following recognition that secularisation was far from universal, religious organisations were playing significant roles in the international humanitarian sector and donors became disillusioned with respect to the capacity of Asian and African governments to implement a state-led development model. Five strands of research which emerged at the end of the twentieth century and beginning of the twenty-first century, some of which have continued to influence research agendas and approaches, are reviewed in this chapter: mapping and taxonomic approaches aimed at identifying the overall dimensions of religious organisations’ engagement; documentation of the roles played by religious organisations in the international humanitarian sector; attempts to assess whether religious organisations are distinctive and have comparative advantages; analysis of the links between religion and politics, which influence the settings in which religious organisations operate; and ways in which religious bodies are connected to national governments and international bodies, influencing their funding, choice of activities and modes of operation.
