Religion, Values, and Politics
In Egypt
Findings from the Arab Democracy Barometer
The Paradox Of Religion and Democracy in Egypt (and the Arab World)
Democratization
Democratization it taking place at a moment in which the society is getting more religious
Democratization is happening through revolutionary means, which allows activists, rather than the public a greater role in determining outcomes
Religiosity
How Religious Are You?
Self‐Reported Religiosity
70.0
59.5
60.0
50.0
38.3
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
2.3
.0
Non Religious
Somewhat Religious
Religious
Self‐Reported Religiosity Among Muslims and Christians in Egypt 70
59.6
60
56.5
50
39.1
38.3
40
Muslim
Christian
30
20
10
4.3
2
0
Non‐Religious
Somewhat Religious
Religious
Religious Practice Among Muslims
120
96.8
100
80.7
80
64.2
Rarely
60
Sometimes
Most of the Time
46.9
Always
40
33.5
20
9.7
11.4
0
Attend religious
lessons in
Mosques
Read religious
books
Watch or listen to Read or listen to
religiolus shows
Quran
Friday Prayer
Daily prayer
Fasting Ramada
Correlations
Reoported
Religios ity
Reoported
Religios ity
Com pos ite
religious
practice
Pears on
Correlation
Sig. (2tailed)
N
Pears on
Correlation
Sig. (2tailed)
N
1
Com pos ite
religious
practice
.275
.000
1203
944
.275
1
.000
944
957
:Liberal Values
Centrists Prevail
Religious practices are private and should be separated from social and
political life
45.0
39.0
37.8
40.0
35.0
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.4
15.0
10.0
4.1
5.0
.0
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
A number of interpretations should be available to citizens so that they may choose which is most appropriate to them
45.0
41.0
40.0
35.0
30.2
30.0
25.0
20.0
16.8
15.0
10.5
10.0
5.0
.0
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Mosques and churches should not be
used for election campaigning
60.0
54.6
50.0
40.0
36.1
30.0
20.0
10.0
5.0
2.8
.0
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Women Rights
As liberal as Religion Allows
Attitudes Towards Women's Rights Among Muslims (Measured in mean socres, higher scores indicate conservative attitude)
4
3.69
3.38
3.5
3.54
3.5
3.19
3
2.87
2.68
2.12
1.94
1.63
2.13
2.5
2.22
2
1.5
1.28
1
0.5
0
Mean Socre
2.42
Attitudes towards women rights and equality (mean scores: higher scores indicates stronger conservatism)
Women should not be denied inheritance
1.27
Refuse a marriage selected by parents
1.62
Equal divorce rights
1.94
Equal job opportunities for men and women
2.11
College education is more important for male
2.12
Woman should approve husband's second marriage
2.13
Married woman can work outsdie house
2.2
Woman can be a cabinet member
2.39
Woman can be a judge
2.64
Woman can be a president
3.14
Woman travel alone
3.33
Polygimy should be banned
3.41
Men better political leaders
3.54
Equal inheritance
3.62
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
Composite Measure of Attitudes Towards Women’s Rights and Equality
Correlations Between Religiosity and Attitudes Towards Women’s Rights
Composite
attitudes towards
women equality
Reported
Religiosity
Composite religious practice
.270**
.002
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
.945
N
900
883
Pearson Correlation
Reported Religiosity
Pearson Correlation
-.060-*
Sig. (2-tailed)
.049
N
1084
Veil Indicates How Religious A Woman Is
40.0
33.9
35.0
30.4
30.0
25.0
23.8
20.0
15.0
11.3
10.0
5.0
.0
Not at All
Little Extent
Medium Extent
Great Extent
Religion, Politics and Activism
Bases of Legislation
80
70
67.6
62.4
60
49.9
47.2
46.5
50
40
Strongly Agree
32.2
28.4
25.9
27.2
Agree
26
30
20
10
0
Inheritance laws should
follow Shari'a
Family satus should laws
should follow Shari'a
According to Shari'a in
some issues and citizens'
will in others
According to Shari'a
According to citizens' will
Source of
Legislation
Citizens' Will
Shari 'a
Yes
Yes
No
No
Rejects Shari 'a and
Accepts both Shari 'a
and Citizens' Will
Accepts Citizens' Will
(Religious Democrats) (Secular Democrats)
Accepts Shari 'a and
Rejects Citizens' Will
(Religious
Authoritarian)
Rejects both Shari 'a
and Citizens' Will
(Secular
Authoritarian)
Religion, Secularism and Democracy
70.00
66.05
62.90
60.00
50.00
40.00
All Egyptians
Muslims
30.00
18.07
17.07
20.00
11.54
7.98
8.49
10.00
7.89
0.00
Seculars Authoritarian
Secular Democrats
Religious Democrats
Religious Authoritarian
Involvement in Public Life
Who Makes the Public Sphere?
70
62.9
58.3
60
55.8
50
40
Religious Democrats
Religious Authoritarians
30
Secular Authoritarians
25
19
17.1
13.5
20
13.1
11.6
9.5
8.5
10
5.8
0
Percent in Society
Membership in NGO
Secular Democrats
Participation in the 25 Jan‐11 Feb 2011
Protests
Sometimes, politics is so complicated that I cannot understand what is happening (Who Shapes Public Attitudes)
60
51.5
50
40
32
30
20
12.6
10
3.9
0
Strongly Disagree (Opinoion Leaders)
Disagree (Publicists)
Agree (Involved Audience)
Strongly Agree (Non Involved)
Religious practices are private and should be separated from social and political life
60
56.4
55.8
49.4
50
40.4
38.8
40
Nuninvolved
30.7
30
27.4
Involved audience
Publicists
Leaders
19.1
18.6
17.3
20
14
12
11.6
10
4.3
2.1
2.6
0
Strongly Disagree
Disaagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Membership in Different Organizations among Political Activists and General Public
Activists (Daily Followers of
Politics in Newspapers and
the Internet )
Public
Political Party
Charity
Union
frequency
7
52
85
Percentage
0.6
4.3
6.9
frequency
1
9
7
Percentage
3.5
26.5
20.7
Youth and Sport
35
2.9
6
17.1
Tribal Association
Local
development
Associations
20
1.7
0
0
19
1.5
2
5.4
Religious Political Attitudes Among Activists and Population
(Political activism is defined as reading newspapers and the internet for political news on daily bases)
120.0
100.0
11.6
13.1
80.0
Secular Democrat
49.9
62.9
60.0
Religious Democrat
Secular Athoritarian
Religious Authoritarian
40.0
2.2
8.5
34.8
20.0
17.1
.0
Population
Activists