Analyzing Religious Freedom and State Respect for Religious Groups in Saudi Arabia
Paper instructions:
This assignment familiarizes you with religion and politics in ONE country of your choice from
among the following democracies (Germany, India, Norway) or non-democracies (Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran). Your assignment should demonstrate that your selected country is a democracy or
a non-democracy in terms of the way in which the state (government) respects the rights of religious groups. Does the constitution guarantee the right to religion, recognize some religious groups as more important than others, or explicitly give political rights to religious leaders? Do religious leaders have oversight powers over the government? Does the government discriminate against some religions? Are religious minorities protected or discriminated? Are there any significant and persistent attacks of religious groups by the police or secret police?
Start by explaining the religious make-up of the country (including percentages for the main religious groups based on the most recent census). Then examine the constitution (which in some countries is called the basic law), other pieces of legislation (if available) and the structure of government to see if all or just some religious groups are equally respected. In some countries, religious councils monitor and override significant political processes. In the third section, evaluate the country as a democracy (respecting the right to religion of all citizens and the right of religious groups to organize, with some minimal restrictions applied on groups that threaten other citizens and the state) or a non-democracy (discriminating against some religious groups,
abusively arresting members of religious minorities, allowing religious leaders to vet elected officials and to influence policy). Base this third section on news items from the past 2-3 years.
Note that constitutions are easily available in English translation on the internet. All six countries are well studied, and you should not have difficulty finding relevant scholarly articles and books.
Your country study should be up to 7 (seven) double-spaced pages (Times New Roman 12). Add a bibliography at the end of the paper. You may include maps and tables, if you so desire.
- Did you include the title page (with name of country and your name)? Please include your
name, otherwise I won’t be able to know this is your assignment. - Does your country study include the sections mentioned above?
- Did you include both footnotes and endnotes? You should not.
- Is your argument backed by research (other authors)? It should.
- Did you incorporate your references into the paper? You should.
Sample Answer
Religion and Politics in Germany
Germany is a secular country with a long history of religious tolerance. The constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion and belief, and the government does not discriminate against any religious group. However, there are some tensions between the government and religious groups, particularly in relation to immigration and integration.
Religious makeup of Germany
The religious makeup of Germany is diverse. The largest religious group is the Roman Catholic Church, followed by the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Other religious groups include Muslims, Jews, and Sikhs.
Constitutional guarantees
The German constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion and belief. This right is absolute and cannot be restricted. The constitution also prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion.