Shaun A Casey Knihy

Understanding the role of religion in global politics is crucial for effective diplomacy. American policy makers have historically been squeamish about religion's role in diplomacy. Nevertheless, religion plays a crucial and complex set of roles in global affairs, such as in sustainable development, various human rights issues, and fomenting and mitigating conflict. Shaun A. Casey, the founding director of the US Department of State's Office of Religion and Global Affairs, makes a compelling case for the necessity of understanding global religion in Chasing the Devil at Foggy Bottom. In his new book, Casey writes frankly about his work integrating sophisticated, research-driven policy into the State Department under Secretary of State John Kerry. Their new strategy went beyond older paradigms that focused myopically on religious freedom or countering violent extremism. Such reductive approaches, Casey insists, cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars in the US's ill-fated invasion of Iraq in 2003. With witty and astute narration, Casey recounts his team's challenges in DC politics as well as in the major global events of his tenure--including climate change, the rise of ISIL, and the refugee crisis.

The 1960 presidential election, ultimately won by John F. Kennedy, was one of the closest and most contentious in American history. As the first Roman Catholic candidate for president, Kennedy faced significant challenges, particularly due to the historical context of Al Smith's defeat in 1928. Kennedy recognized that his faith could hinder his path to the White House and was frustrated by the potential impact of his religious beliefs. In this exploration, Shaun Casey reveals how the Kennedy campaign turned the "religion question" from a liability into an asset, making him the first Catholic president. Drawing on extensive archival research, including previously unseen documents, Casey provides an inside look at Kennedy's advisors—Ted Sorensen, John Kenneth Galbraith, and Archibald Cox—as they navigated opposition to his Catholicism. The book also uncovers the Nixon campaign's efforts to exploit anti-Catholic sentiment, aided by figures like Billy Graham and the National Association of Evangelicals, which contributed to the rise of the Religious Right. This account sheds light on a pivotal election and the complex relationship between religion and politics, offering insights relevant to today's political landscape, where religious beliefs are increasingly significant.