ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the results of a study that investigates the relationship between vaccination behaviour and religiosity among Orthodox Christian societies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employs an online survey methodology in Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia, and Montenegro, and combines it with a representative survey in Ukraine. The survey utilises an index of Christian nationalism to assess religious groups in these countries, and employs a larger randomised sample in Ukraine to further explore the findings. The results indicate a correlation between Christian nationalism and vaccination behaviour, even when controlling for factors such as gender and social status. Additionally, the study finds that religious individuals are more likely to vaccinate compared to those without strong religious commitments. However, when religious commitment is combined with nationalism, the results diverge, consistent with previous research in the United States. The study notes that while the concept of Christian nationalism may take different forms in different societies, the index employed effectively captures the fusion of nationalism and Christianity. However, the study's main limitation is its focus on urban populations in Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia, and Montenegro, which may serve as a conservative estimate of the overall influence of Christian nationalism on vaccination behaviour.
