On the high notes, this book takes a good look at the background to a few religiously loaded conflicts: Palestine, Kashmir, Sri Lanka. Religion has not been taken seriously, especially by those who think religion is foolish and would rather sweep it under the rug in favor of 'extremist' language.
Interestingly, Sri Lanka has since died down, not due to religious negotiation but the death of a leader; realism again gets the spotlight. But did it have to be that way?
The basic idea of studying and understanding religion in Foreign policy is sound. Foreign policy has not dealt very well with religion and this is understandable considering the cultural, American value of religion and state separation.
This book does well in saying that religion cannot be ignored and cannot just be regarded as 'foolish' or even misinterpreted by its users. It must be respected according to the interpretations of its sects. On the other hand, this book seems to advocate that the solution to conflict is to support the middle ground, the watered down, syncretic, non-orthodox version of all faiths.
There is a problem with this notion. To rally for the 'sufi' or 'universal' equivalent of faiths within a conflict is to reject the sacred scriptures in many cases. Indeed, in the end, the authors call for a re-interpretation of Shar'ia in order to make it more accommodating. It's hard to find a solution using religion without compromising theology from any orthodoxy.
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Faith-Based Diplomacy: Trumping Realpolitik 1st Edition
by
Douglas Johnston
(Author)
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For most of the twentieth century, the most critical concerns of national security have been balance of power politics and the global arms race. The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the motives behind them, however, demand a radical break with this tradition. If the United States is to prevail in its long-term contest with extremist Islam, it will need to re-examine old assumptions, expand the scope of its thinking to include religion and other "irrational" factors, and be willing to depart from past practice. A purely military response in reaction to such attacks will simply not suffice. What will be required is a long-term strategy of cultural engagement, backed by a deeper understanding of how others view the world and what is important to them.
In non-Western cultures, religion is a primary motivation for political actions. Historically dismissed by Western policymakers as a divisive influence, religion in fact has significant potential for overcoming the obstacles that lead to paralysis and stalemate. The incorporation of religion as part of the solution to such problems is as simple as it is profound. It is long overdue.
This book looks at five intractable conflicts and explores the possibility of drawing on religion as a force for peace. It builds upon the insights of Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft (OUP,1994)--which examined the role that religious or spiritual factors can play in preventing or resolving conflict--while achieving social change based on justice and reconciliation. The world-class authors writing in this volume suggest how the peacemaking tenets of five major world religions can be strategically applied in ongoing conflicts in which those religions are involved. Finally, the commonalities and differences between these religions are examined with an eye toward further applications in peacemaking and conflict resolution.
In non-Western cultures, religion is a primary motivation for political actions. Historically dismissed by Western policymakers as a divisive influence, religion in fact has significant potential for overcoming the obstacles that lead to paralysis and stalemate. The incorporation of religion as part of the solution to such problems is as simple as it is profound. It is long overdue.
This book looks at five intractable conflicts and explores the possibility of drawing on religion as a force for peace. It builds upon the insights of Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft (OUP,1994)--which examined the role that religious or spiritual factors can play in preventing or resolving conflict--while achieving social change based on justice and reconciliation. The world-class authors writing in this volume suggest how the peacemaking tenets of five major world religions can be strategically applied in ongoing conflicts in which those religions are involved. Finally, the commonalities and differences between these religions are examined with an eye toward further applications in peacemaking and conflict resolution.
- ISBN-100195160894
- ISBN-13978-0195160895
- Edition1st
- PublisherOxford University Press
- Publication dateMarch 27, 2003
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions10.28 x 1.02 x 5.44 inches
- Print length296 pages
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2011
- Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2015The positions within are based on presuppositions that depend on the "evolution" of religion and "experience" over "text." To think that the players in the world of religious conflict in Sudan, Nigeria, Ukraine and Syria would benefit from these arguments is naive. With all the best liberal intentions these authors have tried to offer and alternative to the status quo. Their arguments fall short and events since the release of this book point to its irrelevance. To expect fighters to water down their beliefs ignores the fundamental issues altogether.


