The Religious Factor in Russias Foreign Policy

This book examines how religion interacts with Russian foreign policy, arguing that religion is an important and neglected factor in shaping Russias outlook towards international relations. It surveys the importance of religion in Russian social life - past and present - and considers the range of attitudes which are affected by religion - such as Russian nationalism, notions of Slavic solidarity, the divine mission of Russian Orthodox civilisation, Russian imperialism, and Russias special approach towards Islam. The book discusses how religious organizations, especially the Russian Orthodox Church, operate in international relations, pursuing, through religious diplomacy their own interests and those of the Russian state; explores how religious ideas and culture linked to religion impinge on Russian attitudes and identity, and thereby affect policy; and demonstrates how policy influenced by religion impacts on Russian foreign policy in practice in a wide range of examples, including Russias relations with other orthodox countries, non-orthodox Western countries, Muslim countries, Israel and the Vatican.