Legal Path Dependence and the Long Arm of the Religious State: Sodomy Provisions and Gay Rights across Nations and over Time

210 Pages·2016·5.15 MB·English

by  Victor Asal and Udi Sommer

LEGAL PATH DEPENDENCE
and the
LONG ARM
of the
RELIGIOUS STATE

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LEGAL PATH DEPENDENCE
and the
LONG ARM
of the
RELIGIOUS STATE
Sodomy Provisions and Gay Rights
across Nations and over Time
VICTOR ASAL
AND
UDI SOMMER

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Both authors contributed equally to this work and their names appear
in alphabetical order.
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2016 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic,
magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise
without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Production, Jenn Bennett
Marketing, Fran Keneston
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Asal, Victor, author. | Sommer, Udi, author.
Title: Legal path dependence and the long arm of the religious state : sodomy
provisions and gay rights across nations and over time / Victor Asal and
Udi Sommer.
Description: Albany, NY : State University of New York Press, 2016. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016007708 (print) | LCCN 2016007838 (ebook) | ISBN
9781438463230 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438463254 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Gays—Legal status, laws, etc. | Homosexuality—Law and
legislation. | Homosexuality—Religious aspects. | Gay rights.
Classification: LCC K3242.3 .A83 2016 (print) | LCC K3242.3 (ebook) | DDC
345/.02536—dc 3
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016007708
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The history of the past is but one long struggle upward to equality.
—Elizabeth Cady Stanton
We will never have true civilization until we have
learned to recognize the rights of others.
—Will Rogers

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CONTENTS
List of Figures ix
List of Tables xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Chapter 2: The History of Sodomy Laws and the Theory
of Legal Path Dependence 33
Chapter 3: The Religious State and Death Penalty for Sodomy 63
Chapter 4: Sodomy Provisions and Their Repeal 79
Chapter 5: Equalization of Rights 107
Chapter 6: The Gay Rights Index 123
Chapter 7: Conclusions 141
Appendix A: Descriptive Statistics 149
Appendix B: A Correlation Matrix 150
Appendix C: Supporting Analyses and Robustness Tests 151
Appendix D: Supporting Analyses and Robustness Tests 153
Appendix E: Supporting Analyses and Robustness Tests 156
vii

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viii CONTENTS
Appendix F: Illustrations 158
Notes 161
References 167
Index 191

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FIGURES
Figure 1.1. Distribution of Sodomy Laws around the World and
over Time (1975–2005) 3
Figure 1.2. Number of Countries Legalizing Homosexual Relations 27
Figure 5.1. Distribution of Sodomy Laws around the World and
over Time (1975–2005) 108
Figure 6.1. Distribution of Gay Rights around the World and
over Time (1975–2005) 125
Figure 6.2. Distribution of Levels of Gay Rights 128
Figure 6.3. Variation in Gay Rights in Different World Regions
(Percent of countries in Region with GRI Score) 129
Figure 6.4. Criminalization and Legal Equality (Change over Time) 130
Figure 6.5. Variation in Levels of Legal Protection for Gays
(Change over Time) 131
Figure 6.6. Protection of Women under International Law
(CEDAW) and Level of Protection for Gay Rights 132
Figure 6.7. GDP Per Capita and Levels of Protection for Gays 133
Figure 6.8. Democratic Conditions and Variation in Legal Protection
for Gays 134
ix

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