Uncovers the political, ideological, and bureaucratic forces that shaped the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and its legacy across the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 formally established the promotion of religious freedom as a U.S. foreign policy and national security priority. Tracing its origins and passage, Prioritizing Faith shows how the legislation was made possible by the convergence of growing evangelical and Jewish advocacy, the expanding international human rights movement, and a broader search for post-Cold War purpose. Yet implementation across administrations has been uneven, shaped by shifting geopolitical dynamics and internal institutional constraints. Relying on expert interviews and rich archival analysis, Ashlyn W. Hand traces how Clinton, Bush, and Obama each wove international religious freedom into their foreign policy visions while navigating competing priorities and shifting geopolitical terrains. Through case studies in China, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia, Hand reveals the inner workings and persistent challenges of American religious freedom policy on the global stage. Timely, insightful, and deeply researched, Prioritizing Faith offers an incisive assessment of the United States' efforts to promote religious freedom abroad, highlighting the enduring tensions between normative aspirations and the complexities of foreign policy practice.
Ashlyn Hand is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Southern Methodist University's Center for Presidential History and the author of articles published in places such as the Journal of Conflict Resolution, the Journal of Church and State and Foreign Policy.
The place of religious liberty in US foreign policy is notoriously complicated, but Prioritizing Faith is a reassuringly reliable guide. Grounded in deep historical research and based on intriguing case studies, Ashlyn Hand's even-handed history of the International Religious Freedom Act is an important new book on a difficult subject. -- Andrew Preston, author of Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith: Religion in American War and Diplomacy With probing research, sophisticated analysis, and compelling prose, Ashlyn Hand excavates the crafting, implementation, and consequences of one of the most unique human rights movements in the post-Cold War era. This book illumines many new dimensions of international religious freedom policy that will benefit scholars and policymakers alike. -- William Inboden, author of The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink Offers a vigorous account of the International Religious Freedom Act and subsequent U.S. efforts to address global religious persecution. Ashlyn Hand's deft research and meticulous writing illuminates the competing interests and bureaucratic conflicts that have constrained U.S. foreign policy making as well as progress on international human rights goals. With compelling case studies and a comprehensive legislative history, Hand underscores the magnitude of abuses that religious believers have faced (and continue to face) throughout the world as well as the practical difficulties that plague policymakers who seek to promote religious freedom. -- Lauren Turek, author of To Bring the Good News to All Nations: Evangelical Influence on Human Rights and U.S. Foreign Relations
