Small Temples, Big Bargains

• In Event: Democracy, Social Movements and Civil Society

Abstract

The existing literature indicates that large churches often utilize their moral authority to exert a significant influence on policy-making.
However, this level of influence is generally not attainable for smaller churches and temples. This research project seeks to explore how
these smaller religious institutions can impact the provision of public goods. I hypothesize that small places of worship have the potential
to affect policy at the local level by engaging in reciprocal agreements, quid-pro-quos, with local leaders. Focusing on the minority Christian
community in Haryana, the study aims to gather qualitative evidence to demonstrate that in decentralized environments, small places of worship
are capable of leveraging a candidate's influence to facilitate the provision of public goods.

Author

• Akash Chopra, Boston College