Beyond belief: How religion fosters self-determination

Religious conflicts are an enduring feature of domestic and international politics. This article offers the first systematic quantitative treatment of religion in nationalist demands for autonomy or independence on a global scale. I argue that subnational groups capitalizing on mobilization advantages from sacred land are more likely to demand self-rule. Sacred places link collective identities to the contested territory, which is the main conflict issue in self-determination demands. I rely on data on sacred land and religious identification of subnational groups worldwide and compare claimants and non-claiming groups to capture the effect of sacred land on self-determination. The analysis supports the expectation that sacred land and religious identities are closely linked to demand incidence. The findings shed light on the understudied relation between religion and self-determination and improve our understanding of the significance of sacred places on a global comparative scale.