Bektimirova Nadezhda

The Politics of ‘Religious Harmonization’ and Its Realization in Cambodia

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2025, №3(68), 132-141

 
Annotation: This paper considers the politics of ‘religious harmonization’ and its realization in Cambodia. The author shows that although Buddhism is the state religion, those practicing Islam and Christianity enjoy a high degree of freedom. The article further traces the situation with regard to the growing numbers of practicing Christians and Muslims in the country. The author stresses that the official policy of ‘religious harmonization’ aspires to build social relations on those moral principles that are at the heart of world religions. The paper analyses how the politics of ‘religious harmonization’ is increasingly used by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) to draw adepts of different religions into the sphere of its political influence. CPP states that it is the only actor capable of providing such a high level of religious freedom and wellbeing, as presently enjoyed by religious communities. Although the political component – support of the CPP – has been firmly woven into the concept of the ‘harmonious development of religions’, on the whole, the outcome of religious interaction has been quite positive.

Keywords: religion, politics, religious harmony, Cambodia, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, harmonization of social relations