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Guided By God: The Catholic Church And Political Legitimacy In The Philippines, Steven B. Shirley

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The developing world is witnessing a growing (some may say disturbing) trend towards “de-secularization” of national governments. This trend has been understudied and misunderstood over the past decade. Government experts and scholars alike too often view this trend through the lens of “threat” analysis and in so doing miss key cultural, historical, and political factors at work. This study attempts to redress this problem. By looking at political legitimacy and the role religious organizations such as the Catholic Church may play, a new understanding of how religious institutions can shape and mold governments and policies emerges.

This study focuses specifically …