What Role does Religion play in Political Conflicts? Islamic students protest French laws prohibiting the hijab in schools-The Hijab is our honor. Top right-a woman enters a UN refugee camp after escaping ethnic cleansing in Srbenica Grozny, Chechnya Feb. 2000

Conflicts along Religious Borders Interfaith Boundaries Boundaries between the world’s major faiths. Intrafaith Boundaries Boundaries within a single major faith.

Switzerland concentrations of Catholics and Protestants by canton and commune

Interfaith Boundary in Africa

Israel & Palestine

Landscapes of Settlements Israelis have had a policy of building settlements for Jews in the Occupied Territories

Landscape of the Gaza Strip, 2005 In 2005, the Israeli government pulled out of the Gaza Strip, burning down Jewish settlements and handing control over to Palestinians.

The West Bank with the proposed security wall, parts of which the Israeli government has already built.

The Horn of Africa Amharic (Coptic) Christianity is in central Ethiopia Islam diffused into the Horn of Africa Indigenous religions remain in pockets

The Former Yugoslavia Genocide & Ethnic Cleansing

Northern Ireland Identities are tied to Religion, but are deepened by: Economic- colonial experiences & activity spaces (segregation) Boal’s studies in Northern Ireland demonstrate that solving a religious conflict is typically not about theology; it is about identity Boal’s studies in Northern Ireland demonstrate that solving a religious conflict is typically not about theology; it is about identity.

Rise of Secularism Secularism – indifference to or rejection of organized religious affiliations and ideas. - Where is secularism on the rise and why?

The Rise of Secularism World wide 4/6 billion adhere to a religion Separation of Church & State a new concept Today in the Developed World religion has declined in importance Secularism is most common in urban, industrialized nations Anti-religious ideologies like communism discouraged organized worship Church membership can be misleading since many names on the role do not reflect regular attendance-this is especially true in Europe where many cathedrals and churches are practically empty on Sunday

Religious Fundamentalism & Extremism a return to the basics of their faith. found in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam Religious extremism – fundamentalism carried to the point of violence. What draws people to Islam-especially Fundamental Islam? “…failure of secular ideologies, the persistence of the (Israeli) occupation, the yearning for dignity, the fear that cultural traditions are being uprooted.” “In God’s Country” Eyal Press November 20th, 2006 The Nation

Islamic Extremists and Jihad an Islamic holy war against the West Extremist Muslims are almost entirely rooted in reaction to decades of European colonial domination or the Reagan jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan-we gave extremists $5 billion and forced Saudi Arabia to give an equal amount to train extremists at CIA facilities in Afghanistan. Much of the subsequent violence can be seen as a form of blowback-black operations that go bad or boomerang on the initiating country. From Facing Hamas and Hezbollah by Helena Cobban in The Nation Nov. 2007

The End