Religious Voices in the Politics of International Development

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xviii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 1-12

3. Religion, Development, and Faith-Based Organizations

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 13-39

4. Faith-Based Identities

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 41-69

5. Encouraging Active Citizen Voices on International Policy? The Record of US Faith-Based NGOs

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 71-99

6. Agendas and Strategies: Prophetic Voices and Cautious Reformers

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 101-123

7. Global Religions and National Politics

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 125-148

8. Beyond Advocacy? Mobilizing Compassion

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 149-175

9. Religious Movements and FBOs: The Climate Threat and COVID-19

   • Paul J. Nelson

   Pages 177-203

10. Conclusions

    • Paul J. Nelson

    Pages 205-213

11. Back Matter

    Pages 215-225

    PDF

This first study of faith-based development NGOs’ (FBOs) political roles focuses on how U.S. FBOs in international development educate and mobilize their constituencies. Most pursue cautious reformist agendas, but FBOs have sometimes played important roles in social movements. Nelson unpacks those political roles by examining the prominence of advocacy in the organizations, the issues they address and avoid, their transnational relationships, and their relationships with religious and secular social movements. The agencies that educate and mobilize U.S. constituencies most actively are associated with small Christian sects or with non-Christian minority faiths with historic commitments to activism or service. Specialized advocacy NGOs play important roles, and emerging movements on immigration and climate may represent fresh political energy. The book examines faith-based responses to the crises of climate change, COVID-19, and racial injustice, and argues that these will shape thefuture of religion as a moral and political force in America, and of NGOs in international development.

• faith-based organizations
• International Development
• FBO
• NGO
• Non-Governmental Organizations
• insider-lobbying
• religious community
• public policy
• advocacy
• social policy
• humanitarian groups
• faith-based charity
• global justice
• Religion and politics
• Religion & Development
• global South
• donor societies
• volunteering
• poor communities
• Non-profit

“American religious groups’ long history of international humanitarian assistance is well-documented. Less well understood is the role of American faith-based organizations in lobbying and advocating for humanitarian aid policies. Nelson’s book illuminates an important dimension of such policy advocacy: these organizations' strategies for mobilizing donors and co-religionists to support their advocacy efforts. This well-written volume enriches our understanding of faith-based organizations as policy entrepreneurs and shapers of religious public opinion, and should be read by scholars, policymakers, and practitioners of international humanitarian assistance.” (—Susan McCarthy, Professor of Political Science, Providence College, USA)

• Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA

  Paul J. Nelson

Paul J. Nelson is Associate Professor of International Development at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), University of Pittsburgh, USA. Before joining the university in 1998 he worked for several faith-related non-governmental organizations (NGOs). He has published research on the World Bank, transnational NGO advocacy, religion and development, human rights-based development, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

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