Religion as an instrument of political governance in authoritarian regimes

This article examines the functions of religion in political governance within authoritarian regimes through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Situated in the broader context of comparative politics, the study aims to understand how religious discourses contribute to regime durability beyond symbolic legitimation. A systematic review identified that most research is concentrated in the Middle East and Asia, with Islam emerging as the most frequently analyzed tradition. Using quantitative meta-analysis, the study finds that religious discourses enhance regime legitimacy (pooled effect = 0.42), reinforce bureaucratic integration (0.36), and contribute to restricting opposition (0.51). Meta-regression further reveals that these effects are stronger in the Middle East and Islamic contexts, and panel designs produce more robust associations compared to cross-sectional studies. A risk-of-bias assessment indicates low measurement bias, moderate risks of reverse causality and selection bias, and a high level of publication bias; nevertheless, complementary tests such as Egger’s test, funnel plot, and trim-and-fill confirm the reliability of the findings. Overall, the results suggest that religion in authoritarian regimes functions not only as a symbolic source of legitimacy but also as an instrumental mechanism that consolidates institutional stability and strengthens political control.