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Religions and social capital. Theses on religion(s), state(s), and society(ies): With particular reference to the United Kingdom and the European Union

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Abstract

The article explores aspects of the relationship between social capital and religious organizations with particular reference to the United Kingdom and the European Union. It draws on guidance from the Local Government Association, a recent report on the interface between government and faith communities from the Faith Communities Unit of the Home Office, and the results of research for the Council of Europe. All this is explored through reference to seven theses on the relationships between religion(s), state(s), and societ(ies) and by using some of the thinking of Marc Luyckx (1994) on the position of religion in post-industrial and postmodern societies.

Résumé

Dans cet article, j’explore le lien entre le capital social et les organismes religieux en faisant référence plus particulièrement au Royaume-Uni et à l’Union européenne. Je m’inspire de la Local Government Association, un nouveau rapport sur l’interface entre le gouvernement et les groupes confessionnels de la Faith Communities Unit of the Home Office, et des résultats de recherche du Conseil de l’Europe. Tous ces thèmes sont explorés à l’aide de sept thèses sur les liens entre la religion, l’État et la société, et, à l’occasion, de certains points de vue de Marc Luyckx sur la situation de la religion dans les sociétés postindustrielles et postmodernes.

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Weller, P. Religions and social capital. Theses on religion(s), state(s), and society(ies): With particular reference to the United Kingdom and the European Union. Int. Migration & Integration 6, 271–289 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-005-1014-5

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