This book examines the deployment of religious soft power in African states to influence international relations as well as the role and perception of politics for African people. The book analyzes how religion has been used as an instrument of persuasion and influence in a cross-disciplinary study of political science and religious studies.

Religion and Global Politics: Soft Power in Nigeria and Beyond examines the deployment of religious soft power in African states and the potential it has for transforming perceptions of the continent. The contributors refocus the attention on religion away from the ‘misery’ discourse of conflict and violence towards the domain of international relations, diplomacy and foreign policy in Africa. Through this shift, the contributors analyze the ways in which religion has impacted the external relations of African states. Religion and Global Politics introduces the theme of religion to the discourse of African international relations and politics to provide a thorough examination of religion’s influence on politics in the daily lives of African people.

Foreword

Jeffrey Haynes

Acknowledgments

Chapter One: Religion and Global Politics: Soft Power in Nigeria and Beyond

Olusola Ogunnubi and Sheriff Folarin

Part One: Africa and the World

Chapter Two: Integrating religion as a tool for public diplomacy in the 21st Century Africa

Toyin Cotties Adetiba

Chapter Three: Post-Colonial Relations in Africa and the Emergence of Religion as an Instrument for Inter-State Diplomacy

Victor H. Mlambo and Olusola Ogunnubi

Chapter Four: Faith-based Organizations as Soft Power for Social Development in Africa

Michael Ihuoma OGU

Chapter Five: Forty years and still counting: Shia exportation and the character of the Nigeria-Iran relations, 1979-2019

Charles E. Ekpo and Ekwutosi E. Offiong

Part Two: Other Countries within Africa

Chapter Six: How Many Divisions? Soft Power, Personal Diplomacy, and the Holy See

Hendrik W. Ohnesorge

Chapter Seven: Religion and soft power in African foreign policy: Morocco’s new religious diplomacy towards Nigeria

Mathieu Rowsell

Chapter Eight: Nye, Soft Power, and Conflict Resolution: Centring Trado-Religious Soft Power in Conflict Processes in Africa

Surulola Eke

Part Three: Perspectives from Nigeria

Chapter Nine: Determinants of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: Making a Case for Religion

Oladotun E. Awosusi and Charles E. Ekpo

Chapter Ten: Nigeria’s Religious Soft Power: Turning the Tide of a Declining Image

Olusola Ogunnubi, Sheriff Folarin, and Confidence Ogbonna

Chapter Eleven: Islam and Nigerian Foreign Policy: Processes, Procedures and Personalities

Abubakar A. Usman, Elfatih A Abdelsalam, and Hakeem Onapajo

Chapter Twelve: Anglicanism and Soft Power in Nigeria: Dimensions and Prospects

Opeyemi Idowu Aluko

Chapter Thirteen: Pentecostal Mega Churches and Religious Diplomacy in Nigeria

Irene Pogoson and Maduabuchi Ogidi

Chapter Fourteen: Music Diplomacy: The Soft Power of Nigerian Gospel Melody

Olusola Ogunnubi and Dare Leke Idowu

Chapter Fifteen: Gospel Music Cosmopolitanism in Lagos, Nigeria and the Soft Power Potential of its Iconic Practitioners

Joseph Kunnuji

Chapter Sixteen: Religious Soft Power influence of Nigeria’s major Pentecostal leaders: Sources and implications for Nigeria and its Regional Power Status

Dare Leke Idowu