Religião e participação política no Brasil : o papel das tradições e instituições religiosas no comportamento político dos brasileirios

Abstract

The political sphere is currently going through a time of public religious expression. Election campaigns, especially in the presidential election of 2010 show more and more how narrow the link between religion and politics is. The important role that religion has played in the electoral process has attracted the attention of several researchers who have been dedicating themselves to study the relationship between religion and the electoral behavior of individuals. However, despite its pertinence, the trip to the ballot box is not the only form of political participation within the democratic system. To understand this relationship, it is necessary to expand the focus to encompass the larger political behavior, addressing different forms of political participation. In light of this, this study aimed to contribute to the identification of the influence of religious traditions and institutions in Brazilian politics, utilizing the behavioral approach to political science as a starting point. We tried to see to what extent the most practiced religions in Brazil relate to political participation, not only pertaining to the electoral form, but also extending to the unconventional or protest forms. The empirical data used in the study was produced by the Public Opinion Project of Latin America (LAPOP) of 2012. The research established that people who manifest a religious profile tend to be more active in conventional forms of political participation; that people who claim no formal religion or atheists are more likely to engage in unconventional forms of participation; and that religious activism or participant status increases the likelihood of an individual to act politically.