Dura I et alii - Mapping religious conflicts in contemporary world: causes, trends and solutions

Ioan DURA, Ion APOSTU, Ştefan LAZĂR, Ion PARTEBUNĂ*

Faculty of Theology Ovidius University of Constanța, Romania


Abstract:

With regret, we note that in the 21st century the culture of peace is a desirable reality. Desirable because today's global engagements, which have accumulated energies of common intent, show us that they fail to stabilize certain poles of conflict in the harmony of peace. Quite simply, religious conflict, whatever the reasons or motives behind it, is present in the world. This study provides an overview of the current situation of religious conflicts and terrorist attacks in the world based on data from Religion and Armed Conflict (RELAC) and the European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT), with an indication of the particular elements involved in the process of generating, carrying out and possibly resolving them. Tangentially, although necessary for such a study, we will attempt an answer to the question: is interreligious dialogue a concrete solution to minimize the religious conflicts?

Keywords:

religious conflict, interreligious dialogue, identity, terrorism

Bibliography:

  • Alert 2022! 2022. Report on conflicts, human rights and peacebuilding. Barcelona: Icaria.
  • Anthony, F.V., C. Hermans, and C.J.A. Sterkens. 2014. Religion and Conflict Attribution. An Empirical Study of the Religious Meaning System of Christian, Muslim and Hindu Students in Tamil Nadu, India. Brill.
  • Barrows, John H. 1893. The World`s Parliament of Religions: An Illustrated and Popular Story of the World`s First Parliament of Religions, Held in Chicago in Connection with the Columbian Exposition of 1893, Vol. I. Chicago: The Parliament Publishing Company.
  • Cavanaugh, William T. 2009. The Myth of Religious Violence. Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict. Oxford University Press.
  • Europol. 2011-2022. European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT). Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
  • Harpviken, Kristian Berg and Hanne Eggen Røislien. 2008. “Faithful Brokers? Potentials and Pitfalls of Religion in Peacemaking”. In: Conflict Resolution Quarterly 25, 3, 354.
  • Huntington, Samuel P. 2011. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Simon & Schuster.
  • Svensson, Isak and Desiree Nilsson. 2018. “Disputes over the Divine: Introducing the Religion and Armed Conflict (RELAC) Data, 1975 to 2015”. In: Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 62 (5), 1127-1148.
  • Swanström Niklas L.P. & Mikael S. Weissmann. 2005. Conflict, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Management and beyond: a conceptual exploration. Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program.
  • Wallensteen, Peter. 2002. Understanding Conflict Resolution. War, Peace and the Global System. London: SAGE Publications.