Religion as a Resource in an Increasingly Polarized Society

Abstract

Abstract Recent research in the social scientific study of religion has drawn attention to how distinct religious identities and cultures have supported nationalist impulses and fueled political polarization across a variety of national contexts. This growing body of literature makes it clear that religious ideals and identities can be used to frame issues, draw boundaries, and drive a wedge down the middle of the political landscape. What is less frequently analyzed are the various ways that religion can provide resources to depolarize society. This article identifies the various resources that religion can offer for depolarization, and calls for future research aimed not only at better understanding the extent and nature of religion’s deployment of these resources, but also their effectiveness in countering the polarizing dynamics in contemporary society.