Religion, Security and Global Uncertainties final report released
The final report from a research project funded by the Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research was released at a seminar event in London today.
The report draws together 18 months work by Professor John Wolffe and Dr Gavin Moorhead from The Open University on the ‘Religion, Martyrdom and Global Uncertainties’ project.
The project examined the role of religion in current conflicts and violence and suggests ‘mistakes’ in policy can be avoided by learning how religion causes or cures violence.
Professor Wolffe, an expert on the history of religious conflict and its contemporary implications, said ‘I hope that our report and this event will help both policymakers and the media in their efforts to avoid the mistakes and stereotypes that can arise from simplistic understandings of religion and its relationship to conflict and violence.’
The Partnership’s External Champion, Dr Tristram Riley-Smith commended the research saying ‘Research has an important part to play in helping administrators, legislators, and policy-makers understand and engage with people of faith and systems of belief.
‘The need for this is pressing, not least because of the part that religion plays around the world in acts of conflict and violence, peace and reconciliation.’
Hosted by The Open University and Lapido Media and held at Portcullis House in London, the seminar explored how to change conversations around the potential for religion to both improve and diminish security.
The seminar panel included Dr Mustafa Baig (Research Fellow in the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at Exeter University), Dr Marat Shterin (Senior Lecturer in Sociology of Religion of King’s College), Grace Davie (Professor of Sociology at Exeter University), historian Tom Holland and journalist Betsy Hiel.
BBC’s former Defence and now Religion Correspondent, Caroline Wyatt, moderated the seminar.
View the Religion, Security and Global Uncertainties Final Report.
