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Religions
Special Issues
Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding: New Perspectives
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Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding: New Perspectives

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 29903

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anna King

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace, University of Winchester, Winchester, SO22 4NR, UK
Interests: the ethics and politics of international peacebuilding; multireligious organizations in transnational peacebuilding; faith-based peacebuilding in South and Southeast Asia; peace and social justice movements; non-violent philosophy and practice; Hinduism, conflict, and peace
Dr. Mark Owen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace, University of Winchester, Winchester, SO22 4NR, UK
Interests: religion’s role in peacebuilding and conflict transformation; conflict assessment and analysis; Buddhism, conflict and peacebuilding; Tibetan Buddhism; Asian politics and development; research methodologies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Religions will bring together papers which advance the theoretical and practical understanding of how religion can positively contribute to peacebuilding, conflict transformation, conflict prevention, and reconciliation processes. The roles of religion and religious actors in peacebuilding and reconciliation have received increasing attention, yet this is an area which is still significantly underdeveloped in terms of methodological rigor and theoretical sophistication. The aim of this Special Issue is to encourage debate about the future directions of religious peacebuilding, and new perspectives and approaches which can help advance knowledge and understanding in this important subject area.

Consequently, contributions are encouraged that:

  • Offer deep critical reflection on the dominant theories and ideas which have so far underpinned academic work in religion and peacebuilding;
  • Draw upon field research and case studies to interrogate the complex relationship between theory and practice, and examine how empirical data compare, contrast, and enhance current theoretical frames and ideas;
  • Explore the impact of religious peacebuilding and advocacy on national and international policy making, and the extent to which this is effective or desirable;
  • Explore how the reality of religious traditions, such as transnational, transcultural, and incontestable worldviews and truths, relate to the increasing emphasis on the specificity of localized, elicitive, and adaptive forms of peacebuilding;
  • Scrutinize the ‘politics’ of religious peacebuilding, critically examining the discursive political and historical narratives and discourses which underpin international emphasis on interests such as Freedom of Religion and Belief and religious minority rights and inclusion;
  • Examine the roles played by women and young people in faith-based peacebuilding and reconciliation interventions, and suggest ways in which narratives about inclusivity could be better realized in practice;
  • Elaborate the roles new technologies and social media can play in enhancing the contributions religious actors can make to peacebuilding;
  • Investigate the growing influence of the arts and humanities and religious techniques and practices (e.g., yoga, ritual, symbology) in peacebuilding and conflict transformation;
  • Critically reflect on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on faith-based peacebuilding, and how religious initiatives and networks have, or have not, contributed to building conflict resilience in societies and communities.

The co-editors see the examination of religion’s roles in peacebuilding as cross- and interdisciplinary. The Special Issue will bring together scholars from a variety of disciplines and welcome papers that explore fresh interdisciplinary perspectives and developments, and offer new methodological approaches. This will lead to greater interdisciplinary understanding of how faith-based groups and religious actors can most effectively use their religious, spiritual, and cultural capital to bring about peace with justice. 

Prof. Dr. Anna King
Dr. Mark Owen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • religion
  • actors
  • peacebuilding
  • conflict transformation
  • reconciliation
  • conflict prevention

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1216 KiB  
Article
The Role of Islam in Peace and Development in Somalia (Continuity and Change)
by Yusuf Sheikh Omar
Religions 2022, 13(11), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13111074 - 9 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5169
Abstract
Since 11 September 2001, Islam has been viewed as a threat to global stability rather than as a potential factor for peacebuilding and development. Therefore, most studies on Islam have been framed around security. Although research on the security threat posed by Islamist [...] Read more.
Since 11 September 2001, Islam has been viewed as a threat to global stability rather than as a potential factor for peacebuilding and development. Therefore, most studies on Islam have been framed around security. Although research on the security threat posed by Islamist extremists is understandable, the main purpose of this study is to explore and give more attention to positive and continued contributions of Islamic faith to Somalia’s history and its current situation. To date, Islam has had an enormous constructive impact on Somali society at different stages of its history. It has strengthened peace capacity and development aspects such as literacy, socio-economic factors, justice, urbanisation, common identity and shared future aspirations, which have risen above clan divisions. In terms of methods, this study employs descriptive and analytical research methodologies. In conclusion, despite the current negative interpretation, activities, and actions attributed to the extremist Islamist groups in Somalia and beyond, Islam, on the other hand, has contributed enormously to civilising Somalis, shaping their common identity, nurturing a culture of peace, and improving social development. As it has been in the past, it maintains the potential to provide for Somalia’s future stability and prosperity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding: New Perspectives)
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41 pages, 928 KiB  
Article
Myanmar’s Coup d’état and the Struggle for Federal Democracy and Inclusive Government
by Anna S. King
Religions 2022, 13(7), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13070594 - 27 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 10600
Abstract
This article reviews the first twelve months of the civil disobedience movement in Myanmar following the 1 February 2021 coup d’état and its many dynamics and manifestations. Myanmar’s ‘Spring Revolution’ generated a shared sense of national unity—overcoming gender, ethnic, religious and class boundaries, [...] Read more.
This article reviews the first twelve months of the civil disobedience movement in Myanmar following the 1 February 2021 coup d’état and its many dynamics and manifestations. Myanmar’s ‘Spring Revolution’ generated a shared sense of national unity—overcoming gender, ethnic, religious and class boundaries, but raising questions about the long-term sustainability of nonviolent civil resistance in a state where the military has for decades wielded political and economic power. Since the coup, Myanmar has been in turmoil, paralysed by instability which escalated after the military’s deadly crackdown on pro-democracy activists. The article charts the growth of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), its multiple methods of strategic resistance and non-cooperation, and the radicalisation of the resistance agenda. It analyses the formation of the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), the creation of the interim National Unity Government (NUG), the founding of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) and the inauguration of the People’s Defence Force (PDF). It examines the implications for Myanmar when the crisis reached a more complex phase after the military’s open use of force and terror on the broader civilian population prompted the NUG to declare war on the junta, and to urge ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) and newly formed anti-junta civilian militias (PDF) to attack the State Administration Council (SAC) as a terrorist organisation. The NUG now opposes the military junta by strategic and peaceful non-cooperation, armed resistance, and international diplomacy. This paper considers whether the predominantly nonviolent civil resistance movement’s struggle for federal democracy and inclusive governance is laying the foundations for eventual transition to a fully democratic future or whether the cycles of violence will continue as the military continues to control power by using intimidation and fear. It notes that the coup has destroyed the economy and expanded Myanmar’s human rights and humanitarian crises but has also provided the opportunity for Myanmar’s people to explore diverse visions of a free, federal, democratic and accountable Myanmar. It finally examines the possibilities for future peaceful nation building, reconciliation, and the healing of the trauma of civil war. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding: New Perspectives)
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21 pages, 341 KiB  
Article
The Role of ISIS as a Religious Terrorist Group in the Instability of Libya in the Post-Gaddafi Era: The Case of Sirte
by Abdelsalam Mohamed Elhudairi and Hüseyin Işıksal
Religions 2022, 13(6), 516; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060516 - 6 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4949
Abstract
Stability and security remain the two most important objectives in the post-Gaddafi era since no accord has established a legitimate government in Libya yet. The rivalry of the Tripoli and Tobruk governments has resulted in unabating state insecurity in Libya. This article focuses [...] Read more.
Stability and security remain the two most important objectives in the post-Gaddafi era since no accord has established a legitimate government in Libya yet. The rivalry of the Tripoli and Tobruk governments has resulted in unabating state insecurity in Libya. This article focuses on the strategic city of Sirte where the insecurity was felt most in the post-Gaddafi era. The significance of this city also comes from its strategic location, which makes it the main target for the political actors that want to control Libya. Deriving from these points, this article analyzes the impact and threat of ISIS as the terrorist group in Sirte. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding: New Perspectives)
14 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Utilizing the Theology of Religions and Human Geography to Understand the Spatial Dimension of Religion and Conflict
by Elizabeth J. Harris
Religions 2022, 13(6), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060496 - 30 May 2022
Viewed by 2230
Abstract
This paper argues for an interdisciplinary approach within the study of religion and conflict. Using a religious studies framework, it demonstrates that tools from human geography, peace studies, and the theology of religions can be used to shed light on the intractability of [...] Read more.
This paper argues for an interdisciplinary approach within the study of religion and conflict. Using a religious studies framework, it demonstrates that tools from human geography, peace studies, and the theology of religions can be used to shed light on the intractability of conflicts where religion is not “innocent”. Within human geography, the spatial dimension of individual and communal identity, most particularly the concept of “mythical space”, can illuminate the non-empirical, affective factors that condition attitudes to religious and ethnic others. Similarly, within the theology of religions, the typology of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism can aid understanding of tendencies within all human communities, religious and non-religious, when faced with perceived threats from significant others. Two case studies, Sri Lanka and Israel/Palestine, are examined through this interdisciplinary approach, using illustrative “moments” within each conflict. Both highlight the affective power of primal imaginaries that are informed by narratives about religion, land, and identity. Without dismissing the importance of political and economic factors in the arising of conflict, this paper argues that it is not enough to analyse these factors alone. Other disciplines are necessary and this paper argues for two important examples: human geography and the theology of religions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding: New Perspectives)
15 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Radical Islam and Insurgency in Northern Nigeria: Tensions and Challenges
by Stephen Onakuse and Victor Jatula
Religions 2021, 12(10), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12100888 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5171
Abstract
Located within a broad appraisal of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, this paper examined the roots and triggers of radical Islam and religious extremism in Northern Nigeria. It also investigated its implication in the region through the lenses of religion and politics. Since 1804, a [...] Read more.
Located within a broad appraisal of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, this paper examined the roots and triggers of radical Islam and religious extremism in Northern Nigeria. It also investigated its implication in the region through the lenses of religion and politics. Since 1804, a tradition of jihadist Islam in the north, introduced by Sheikh Uthman dan Fodio, has shaped not only the politics of the region but has festered into modern-day insurgency. This radicalism enthroned an intolerant, anti-Western and violent Islamic ideology used against minorities within and against other religions, ethno-regional groups, and political blocs in Nigeria. What exactly are the triggers of religious violence in today’s Northern Nigeria? Furthermore, if any, what are the implications for this region? Drawing on archival materials and secondary sources, findings reveal deep-seated, anti-southern sentiments in the north, complicated by religious, cultural, and economic suspicions, whipped up at political intersections. Evidence also indicates significant leadership failures. This internal complexity holds back Northern Nigeria’s overall economic and social modernisation pace. This paper recommends state-sponsored awareness campaigns that emphasise diversity, integration and unity. To overcome insurgency, politics must deliver dividends of democracy to all. Governance must become a means to economic ends and not an end in itself. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding: New Perspectives)
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