The Authoritarian Use of Religion

Abstract

This panel investigates how authoritarian regimes and actors instrumentalize religion to legitimize political authority, consolidate power, and suppress dissent. It examines the strategic use of religious symbols, institutions, and narratives in state governance and regime survival. Through comparative and case-based analyses, the panel explores the implications of these practices for religious freedom, political opposition, and state–society relations. The panel also considers how civil society actors may resist or challenge the authoritarian appropriation of religion.

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