A study of the religious and ethnic conflicts that have occurred in Asian societies, along with initiatives for peace and reconciliation.
History of Religion in Asia: Understanding the religiosity of Asian countries, which plays a crucial role in shaping their culture, norms, and politics.
Religious Conflict in Asia: Exploring the diverse range of religious conflicts and tensions that exist within and between different religious groups in Asia, including sectarian violence, inter-religious disputes, and intra-religious conflicts.
Causes of Religious Conflict: Examining the underlying social, political, and economic factors that trigger religious conflicts in Asia, including poverty, inequality, political instability, and ethno-religious identities.
Peacebuilding Approaches: Analyzing the different approaches and strategies employed in peacebuilding, such as dialogues, mediation, reconciliation, and community engagement.
Religious Extremism and Terrorism: Evaluating the growing threat of religious extremism and terrorism in Asia, including the recruitment and radicalization of youth by militant groups.
Gender and Religion: Studying the intersectionality of gender and religion, including issues of gender-based violence, religious discrimination against women, and the role of women in peacebuilding.
Non-State Actors: Examining the role of non-state actors such as civil society organizations, religious leaders, and faith-based groups in promoting inter-faith dialogue and resolving conflicts.
State Policies and Religion: Analyzing the state policies and interventions towards religion, including religious tolerance, secularism, and state-sponsored religious institutions.
Religious Education: Understanding the role of religious education, including its impact on promoting tolerance, harmony, and understanding, or contributing to sectarianism and extremism.
International Actors and Religion: Evaluating the role of international organizations, states, and NGOs in promoting inter-faith dialogue and peacebuilding in Asia.
Inter-religious conflict: Conflict between followers of different religions or faiths. For example, the ongoing conflict between Hindus and Muslims in India.
Intra-religious conflict: Conflict within a particular religious community. For example, conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Religious fundamentalism/extremism: Often characterized by an unwavering belief in the absolute authority of one's religion, leading to violent actions against those who do not subscribe to the same beliefs. Examples include ISIS and the Taliban.
Syncretism: The blending of different religious traditions, practices, or beliefs. This can be a source of conflict or a way to promote peaceful coexistence between different religious groups.
Religious nationalism: When the identity of a nation is closely tied to a particular religion, it can lead to conflict with those who don't share the same faith. An example includes the tension between Hindus and Muslims in India.
Political use of religion: In many places, politicians use religious differences to gain votes or create divisions between communities. This can lead to violence and conflict.
Interfaith dialogue: A peaceful approach that encourages individuals from different religious backgrounds to interact and engage with each other to promote understanding and reduce tensions.
Interfaith peacebuilding: A more formalized approach to interfaith dialogue that involves creating structures and programs to promote peaceful coexistence between different religious communities.