Religious Regimes and Prospects for Liberal Politics: Futures of Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia
Publication Abstract
Moaddel M. 2008. “Religious Regimes and Prospects for Liberal Politics: Futures of Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.” University of Michigan Population Studies Center Research Report 08-641.
This paper departs from Huntington’s civilizational perspective and considers the nature of the national regime to be one of the most important predictors of the future of cultures in Islamic countries. From the values surveys carried out in Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, this article extrapolates trends in values change among the publics from these countries. Key features of these trends include shifts toward liberal democracy and individualism among Iranians, toward secular politics and nationalism among Iraqis, and away from religiosity and toward support for gender equality among Saudis.