The Political Consequences of Large-Scale Religious Change in China and the Asia-Pacific Region

Abstract

This contribution aims to outline and examine some of the implications of contemporary religious change in China and the wider Asia-Pacific region.¹ This may begin by examining, in brief, some of the changes affecting indigenous Japanese and Chinese religions, Buddhism and Hinduism in the twentieth century. However, the focus will be on introducing into broader debates in International Relations some discussion of the unprecedented growth of Christianity and Islam in this region over the last few decades, and the possible political implications of this. This appears, inexplicably, to have gone unnoticed by academic analysts of world politics.² Then, it will discuss a few of the possible political consequences of these changes.