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Religious Nongovernmental Organizations: An Exploratory Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Julia Berger
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Abstract

This paper represents the first systematic attempt at an analysis of religious nongovernmental organizations (RNGOs). Largely ignored as an organizational field, RNGOs constitute a new breed of religious actors shaping global policy-—an organizational hybrid of religious beliefs and social activism at local, national, and international levels. This paper proposes a definition of RNGOs, traces the emergence of RNGOs from an historical perspective, and situates them in their current religious and sociopolitical contexts. Drawing on interviews and documentary data from a sample of 263 United Nations-affiliated RNGOs, the author proposes an analytical framework to examine the religious, organizational, strategic, and service dimensions of these organizations. Religious nongovernmental organizations’ unique contributions to the redefinition of a just society as well as the sociopolitical challenges arising from their religious identity are discussed.

Résumé

Résumé

Cet article constitue la première tentative systématique d’analyse des organisations religieuses non gouvernementales (ORNG). Domaine largement ignoré, les ORNG constituent une nouvelle catégorie d’acteurs façonnant la politique mondiale, un hybride de croyances religieuses et d’activisme social agissant au niveau local, national et international. Cet article propose une définition des ORNG, en retrace l’émergence d’un point de vue historique et les situe dans leurs contextes religieux et socio-politiques actuels. Travaillant à partir d’interviews et de données prélevées sur un échantillon comportant 263 ORNG affiliées aux Nations Unis, l’auteur propose un cadre analytique afin d’examiner les dimensions religieuses, organisationnelles et stratégiques de ces organisations ainsi que l’ampleur des services rendus par ces organisations. La contribution unique des ORNG à la redéfinition d’une société juste ainsi que les défis socio-politiques provenant de leur identité religieuse sont discutés.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Dieser Aufsatz ist der erste systematische Versuch einer Analyse religiöser Nichtregierungsorganisationen (RNGOs). Obwohl sie als Gebiet der Organisationsforschung bisher ignoriert wurden, stellen RNGOs eine neue Gattung religiöser Akteure in der Weltpolitik dar - eine organisatorische Mischung aus religiösen Überzeugungen und sozialem Engagement auf lokaler, nationaler und internationaler Ebene. Dieser Aufsatz schlägt eine Definition von RNGOs vor, verfolgt die Entstehung von RNGOs aus historischer Perspektive und lokalisiert sie in ihren gegenwärtigen religiösen und sozio-politischen Kontexten. Basierend auf Befragungen und Dokumentenanalysen aus einer Stichprobe von 263 mit den Vereinten Nationen assoziierten RNGOs, schlägt die Autorin einen analytischen Rahmen zur Überprüfung der religiösen, Organisations-, strategischen und Dienstleistungsdimensionen dieser Organisationen vor. Es werden die einzigartigen Beiträge von RNGOs sowohl zur Neudefinition einer gerechten Gesellschaft als auch die aus ihrer religiösen Identität resultierenden sozio-politischen Herausforderungen diskutiert.

Resumen

Resumen

Este artículo representa el primer intento sistemático en el analisis de organizaciones no gubernamentales religiosas. En gran parte, ignorado como un campo organizativo, las ONGRs constituyen un nuevo caldo de cultivo de actores religiosos que dan forma a la política global-un híbrido de organización de creencias religiosas y activismo social a nivel local, nacional e internacional. Este artículo propone una deficición de las ONGRs, rastrea el resurgimiento de las ONGRs desde una perspectiva histórica, y las situa en su contexto socio-político y religioso actual. Basado en entrevistas y datos documentales de 263 ONGs afiliadas a Naciones Unidas, el autor propone un marco analítico para examinar las dimensiones religiosas, organizativas, estratégicas y de servicio de estas organizaciones. Se examinan las contribuciones únicas de las ONGRs en la redefinición de una sociedad justa asi como de desafios socio políticos que surgen de la identidad religiosa.

Keywords

NGOreligionUnited Nationscivil societynonprofit

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , March 2003, pp. 15 - 39
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University

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