Brandon Reece Taylorian presents to the Lancaster University Law School his doctoral research on religious recognition and registration issues and their impacts on freedom of religion or belief. Brandon details the most concerning religious freedom violations emerging from how states seek to influence the process in which religions become recognised in society. Brandon also outlines his main concerns for how registration is used as a tool of surveillance by states. Brandon considers the international response to these recognition and registration issues from the United Nations, OSCE and European Court of Human Rights. Finally, Brandon reveals some of his postdoctoral research looking at colonialism as a factor influencing recognition and registration issues and how the remnants of colonialist attitude remain today in the recognition systems of various nation states.