Doctrine is actually often a lot looser and more subject to interpretation than we tend to assume and the way that the doctrine gets interpreted is often partially a function of group interests themselves. If you have a religious group in a given country that believes it would benefit from democracy, it's pretty likely that that group will find a way to interpret and frame its doctrine in a way that supports democracy.- Mike HoffmanA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Key Highlights IncludeRole of Religion in Identity FormationHow Communal Prayer Shapes Religious IdentityWays Group Interests Shape Perspectives on DemocracyDescription of Lebanon's Political SystemWhy Some Groups Oppose DemocracyMike Hoffman is a professor of political science at Notre Dame and the author of Faith in Numbers: Religion, Sectarianism, and Democracy.Key LinksFaith in Numbers: Religion, Sectarianism, and Democracy by Michael HoffmanEconomic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy by Daron Acemoglu and James RobinsonPatterns of Democracy by Arend LijphartRelated ContentElizabeth Nugent on Polarization, Democratization and the Arab SpringBryn Rosenfeld on Middle Class Support for Dictators in Autocratic RegimesMore from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicDemocracy WorksEmail the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.comFollow me on Twitter @DemParadox100 Books on DemocracySupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/demparadox)