@article{THESIS,
      recid = {3886},
      author = {Ochoa, Andrea},
      title = {Divine Politics: A Comparative Analysis of Religious  Influence on Immigration Policymaking Among the  Contemporary Case Study Nations of the United States,  Turkey, and India},
      publisher = {University of Chicago},
      school = {B.A.},
      address = {2021-06},
      number = {THESIS},
      abstract = {<p> In hopes of dispelling common misconceptions  surrounding the legitimacy of religious discourse in  politics, this research paper aims to comparatively analyze  secularism and national identity politics via immigration  policies in three countries. Using the United States,  Turkey, and India as case studies, this paper  contextualizes the aforementioned research interests within  immigration policy creation that varies among each country.  More specifically, a case study’s respective secular  context, cultural background, and political environment  were notable factors in determining the level of religious  appeal within politics and policy. The standard for which  the countries were analyzed was with respect to  constitutional secularism and modern-day political  leadership.</p> <p> This work relied on primary research in  order to arrive at data-based conclusions. The primary  research in question encompassed various interviews across  a range of academic scholars whose expertise focused on the  case study nations; supplementary research included  official language of relevant immigration policies that  assisted with my data analysis. It is ultimately concluded  that despite the influence that religious nationalism has  on constructing national identity, more frequent displays  of religious rhetoric do not inherently lead to restrictive  immigration policies, as in the case of Turkey. Moreover, a  nation’s secular identity is fragile, and varied political  interpretations allow for religious nationalism to shape  policy agenda despite secular applicability in  constitutional writing. Although policy recommendations  prove difficult when targeting deeply ingrained societal  identities, political leadership and subsequent policies  should consider a secular balance in which free religious  expression exists without imposing rigid religious national  identities to a polity.</p>},
      url = {http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/3886},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.6082/uchicago.3886},
}