Born Again : The Christian Right Globalized

In the West we're taught to fear Islamic extremism.

Jennifer Butler shows that there's another kind of extremism, much closer to home, that already has a powerful hold on our society - with dangerous implications.

Christian fundamentalism is expanding its impact in new and unexpected ways.

Though once focused primarily on local and national issues, some of the most powerful Christian Right organisations are today lobbying diplomats at the United Nations, building interfaith coalitions, and establishing lobbying organizations in other parts of the world.

In short, the Christian Right is globalising, a phenomenon that promises to challenge progressive global organising and global civil society, as well as transform the Christian Right itself.

At the UN, Christian Right groups like Focus on the Family and Concerned Women for America are working with Catholic, Mormon and Muslim allies to shape what liberals have called an 'unholy alliance' of Muslim and Catholic nations to advance a conservative social policy agenda.

The US has recently joined that alliance. President George W.Bush has given them a significant voice in shaping the US positions on issues like women's rights, reproductive health, human cloning, child rights and AIDS.

Butler is the first to chart the organising strategies and effectiveness of Christian Right lobbying campaigns inside the UN.

Drawing on first-hand experience and personal interviews with Christian Right leaders, she analyses their present and potential effectiveness in this arena.