Religion und Konflikt in den Internationalen Beziehungen Herausforderung Naher Osten und Nordafrika

Abstract

Religion is currently involved in more than half of all conflicts worldwide. That is noteworthy not least due to the fact that religion often is of significant conflict-driving influence. The article sketches some thoughts on religion as a conflict factor in International Relations. Its geographic focus is the Middle East and North Africa which is also the region where most of those conflicts are located. Following a few remarks on the possibilities and fundamentals of a comprehensive analysis of religion as a conflict-driving element, the text will describe related cases from the region. On this foundation, religion will be portrayed in its potential as a peace factor. Still, most of those phenomena are embedded in bigger regional and international dynamics that have to be studied systematically in order to better understand their national manifestations. Eventually, the text will sketch some basic ideas on how to integrate religion into a theory of International relations.