LIST OF PANELS

General objectives. Research questions and scientific relevance (from 300 to 500 words)

Write the general description of the panel in the text box. It should explain the context of the topic, contain a brief state of the art, present the research question, and the different hypotheses the panel can explore. Also, you need to indicate what would the format of your panel: onsite or online.

In Latin America, as in other regions over the last decade, there has been a growing presence of ultra-conservative groups in politics, advocating positions typically linked to religious values. Campaigns such as "Don´t mess with our kids" and demonstrations against the so-called "gender ideology" have moralised public issues, hindering reforms and subsequent backlashes in various contexts.

Extant literature, especially in Europe and the US, studies these processes under the term "Morality Politics" (Mourao, 2019). Some scholars, like Engeli et al. (2013) and Hurka et al. (2018), have sought explanations for how moral issues have entered the political agenda and policy-making process. Hurka et al. (2018) propose the "four worlds of moral politics," considering contexts characterised by the presence of religious cleavages within party systems and those where decisions are made individually in Parliament or institutionally within political parties. There are also studies in Europe on the interaction between political and social actors in defining the moral policy agenda (Knill, 2013; Mourão, 2019), with so many case studies and applying a variety of methodologies.

In Latin America, the study of morality politics and its relationship with the political system and public policy formulation is still an on-going process. Some initial studies have analysed the link between sexuality, religion, and politics in Latin America (Vaggione, 2009). Others have studied the link between religion, political actors, and social mobilisation in Mexico (Martinez, 2016). Tabbush and Caminotti (2020) studied the expansion of conservative opposition to gender equality policies in the region, alongside other studies that appeared in the LASA Dossier on Anti-Gender Offensives in Latin America. Latin American morality policies have also been applied to the Mexican case (Martínez Carmona, 2021). Vaggione (2022) has studied the neoconservative network in Latin America based on gender ideology. More recently, Alza (2024) has studied morality politics in Latin America, finding combinations of conditions present when public policy on same-sex marriage does not change.

In this context, this panel seeks to delve deeper into the analysis of the complex nature of morality politics in Latin America. Its main objective is to explore how factors such as religiosity, the influence of conservative actors, and the structure of political systems impact the formulation and evolution of policies in the region. In particular, the panel will focus on the dynamics and challenges faced by public policies when addressing moral issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and reproductive rights. The discussion is expected to consider, for example, understanding how religious cleavages within political parties, the mobilisation of conservative groups facilitate or hinder the introduction of more permissive public policies, as well as the role played by parties and ideologies in these processes (Alza, 2024; Engeli et al., 2013).

It is hoped that this panel will contribute to the debate on the factors and causal mechanisms that condition the feasibility of public policy change on moral issues, especially in contexts where religiosity exerts a considerable influence on political decisions.

In recent years, Latin America has witnessed a significant rise in the influence of morality politics, with conservative groups mobilising against issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and gender equality. This panel seeks to explore the complex interplay between religion, politics, and society in shaping public policy debates in the region, from a morality politics perspective. 

Discussion will centre on how religious cleavages within the party system and the mobilisation of conservative groups either hinder or facilitate the introduction of more permissive policies, as well as the role of left-wing parties in these processes (Alza, 2024; Engeli et al., 2013). The panel will focus on the dynamics and challenges that public policies encounter when addressing moral issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion, and reproductive rights.

We expect papers working on the following key themes:

The role of religious actors: How have religious groups and leaders influenced the moralisation of public discourse and policy making?
The impact of conservative mobilisation: What strategies have conservative groups employed to mobilise public opinion and pressure policymakers?
The dynamics of political polarisation: How has the rise of morality politics contributed to political polarisation and social division? Is this related to policy regimes? How? 
The relation between political systems design, policy making and morality politics. How do institutional designs within the political system relate to morality politics in issues such as sexual and reproductive rights and LGBTI+ issues?
The evolution of public policy: What are the implications of morality politics for the development and implementation of public policies in areas such as sexual and reproductive rights, LGBTIQ+ issues, and gender equality?

We welcome papers that address:

Case studies of specific countries or regions in Latin America.
Comparative analysis of different countries or regions.
Theoretical frameworks for understanding morality politics.
Empirical research on the impact of morality politics on public opinion, elections. and policy outcomes.
Policy recommendations for addressing the challenges posed by morality politics.
Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods applied in morality politics approaches.