A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security Environment

This article offers, for the first time, a theoretical model of religion’s influence on the formulation and execution of national security policies. To build this model, it analyses the influence of religion on Israel’s national security policymaking—before and after Israel’s security environment we...

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Main Author: Moria Bar-Maoz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/5/227
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author Moria Bar-Maoz
author_facet Moria Bar-Maoz
author_sort Moria Bar-Maoz
collection DOAJ
description This article offers, for the first time, a theoretical model of religion’s influence on the formulation and execution of national security policies. To build this model, it analyses the influence of religion on Israel’s national security policymaking—before and after Israel’s security environment went through a process of religionization beginning in the 1970s. The article proposes that religion’s effect on national security policymaking is comprised of three tiers that follow one another in the decision making sequence and, yet, are independent from one another: (1) operational beliefs embedded in the state’s security thinking on the relations between religion and security; (2) opportunities and constraints on the state’s freedom of action, due to the role religion plays in global, regional and domestic politics as well as bilateral relations; and (3) governmental utilization of religion to realize national security goals. At its conclusion, the article demonstrates that the model is applicable to other countries as well, using the case of France’s policies in the 21st century.
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spelling doaj.art-21ef47ae9b8047f99f3a14392d0b468f2023-11-19T23:28:00ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442020-05-0111522710.3390/rel11050227A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security EnvironmentMoria Bar-Maoz0Department of Political Studies, Bar-Ilan University; Ramat Gan 5290002, IsraelThis article offers, for the first time, a theoretical model of religion’s influence on the formulation and execution of national security policies. To build this model, it analyses the influence of religion on Israel’s national security policymaking—before and after Israel’s security environment went through a process of religionization beginning in the 1970s. The article proposes that religion’s effect on national security policymaking is comprised of three tiers that follow one another in the decision making sequence and, yet, are independent from one another: (1) operational beliefs embedded in the state’s security thinking on the relations between religion and security; (2) opportunities and constraints on the state’s freedom of action, due to the role religion plays in global, regional and domestic politics as well as bilateral relations; and (3) governmental utilization of religion to realize national security goals. At its conclusion, the article demonstrates that the model is applicable to other countries as well, using the case of France’s policies in the 21st century.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/5/227national securityreligionIsraelMiddle EastIslamJudaism
spellingShingle Moria Bar-Maoz
A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security Environment
Religions
national security
religion
Israel
Middle East
Islam
Judaism
title A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security Environment
title_full A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security Environment
title_fullStr A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security Environment
title_full_unstemmed A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security Environment
title_short A Theory on the Involvement of Religion in National Security Policy Formulation and Implementation: The Case of Israel before and after the Religionization of Its Security Environment
title_sort theory on the involvement of religion in national security policy formulation and implementation the case of israel before and after the religionization of its security environment
topic national security
religion
Israel
Middle East
Islam
Judaism
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/5/227
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