- Course: Peace Potentials in the World Religions , Elective Course 13A, MA in Peace and Conflict Studies, European Peace University
- Instructor: Catherine Morris, BA, LLB (Alberta), LLM (UBC)
Optional Readings for Further Study
TOPICS: Topic 1: Overview | Topic 2: Limits on armed conflict | Topic 3, 29: Role of nonviolence | topic 4: Conflict Transformation
1. Overview: The role of religion in conflict and peacebuilding
Optional readings and films
- Armstrong, Karen. Charter for Compassion. TED, 2008. Available at ted.com (approximately 15 minutes).
- Berkley Center for Religon, Peace and World Affairs. Case Studies on Religion and Conflict. Washington DC: Georgetown University, 2009. Available http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/resources/classroom/religion-and-conflict-case-studies.
- Boulding, Elise. "Two Cultures of Religion as Obstacles to Peace" Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 21(4) (1986): 501–518. (18 pages)
- Cavanaugh, William T. "Does Religion Cause Violence?" Harvard Divinity Bulletin 35(2 and 3), available http://www.hds.harvard.edu/news-events/harvard-divinity-bulletin/articles/does-religion-cause-violence
- Galtung, Johan. "Religion and Peace: Some Reflections." Paper. Center of International Studies, Princeton, NJ, 1985. Available http://www.transcend.org/galtung/papers/Religion%20and%20Peace-Some%20Reflections.pdf.
- Gopin, Marc. "Religion, Violence, and Conflict Resolution." Peace & Change 22(1) (January 1997): 1-31. Available online (31 pages)
- Hassner, Ron E, interviewed by Harry Kreisler. "Conversations With History: Ron Hassner." UC Television. Available http://wn.com/Conversations_With_History_Ron_Hassner, or on YouTube (approximately 1 hour. Student are expected to be able to discuss this film.)
- Jenkins, Phillip, and Shaker El Sayed, interviewd by Rhiz Khan. War and peace in Quran and Bible. Al Jazeera, 26 March 2010, Youtube
- Morris, Catherine. "Case Studies in Religion and Peacebuilding: Cambodia." In Religion and Peacebuilding, edited by Harold Coward and Gordon Smith. Albany, New York: SUNY Press, 2004. (on reserve in the Peace Library http://www.peacelibrary.opac.at/search?lang=eng
- Smock, David R. Religion in World Affairs: Its Role in Conflict and Peace Special Report 201. Washington, DC: USIP, February 2008. USIP (pdf)
- Scriptures and basic explanations of several world religions: Links to English language sites. In Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding: A Selected Bibliography, compiled by Catherine Morris. Victoria, Canada: Peacemakers Trust.
Go to top of page
2. Limits on war in the world's religions: When is armed conflict justified?
Optional Readings and Films
- Abu-Nimer, Mohammed, Marie Dennis, Barry Freundel, John Kleiderer, Dennis Wholey (moderator). Just War, Lasting Peace. This is America, Show 1008, 2006-2007 Season. Available Google Video
- Alfred, Taiaiake, and Lana Lowe. "Warrior Societies in Contemporary Indigenous Communities." Paper commissioned by the Ipperwash Inquiry, Canada, 2007. Available http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/inquiries/ipperwash/policy_part/research/pdf/Alfred_and_Lowe.pdf
- Allman, Mark J. "The Gods of War: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Perspectives on War & Peace." Lecture at Merrimack College, November 19, 2008. Available http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb5SI52kRII.
- An-na'im, Abdullahi Ahmed. "Why should Muslims abandon Jihad ? Human rights and the future of international law." Third World Quarterly 27(5)(2006): 785-797. Available http://www.law.emory.edu/aannaim/pdfiles/why_should.pdf.
- Bartholomeusz, Tessa. "In Defense of Dharma: Just-War Ideology in Buddhist Sri Lanka." Journal of Buddhist Ethics 6 (1999). See Abstract. See full text (pdf)
- Clooney, Francis X., S.J. "Violence and Nonviolence in Hindu Religious Traditions." Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture 9(Spring 2002): 109-139.
- Daly, Robert J., S.J. "Violence and Institution in Christianity." Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture 9(Spring 2002): 4-33.
- Dorn, A. Walter, and Anne Frances Cation. The Justifications for War and Peace in World Religions. Part I: Extracts, Summaries and Comparisons of Scriptures in the Abrahamic Religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism). Canada: Minister of National Defence, 2009. Available at drdc.gc.ca (pdf)
- Dorn, A. Walter, Raj Balkaran, Seth Feldman, and Stephen Gucciardi. The Justifications for War and Peace in World Religions. Part II: Extracts, Summaries and Comparisons of Scriptures of Religions of Indic Origin (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism). Canada: Minister of National Defence, 2009. Available at dtic.mil (pdf)
- Dorn, A. Walter. The Justifications for War and Peace in World Religions. Part III: Comparison of Scriptures from Seven World Religions. Canada: Minister of National Defence, 2010. Available at http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf&AD=ADA535552
- Hassner, Ron E. "Islamic Just War Theory and the Challenge of Sacred Space in Iraq." Journal of International Affairs. 61(2)(Fall/Winter 2007): 131-152. Available at http://www.waronsacredgrounds.com/uploads/Islamic_Just_War.pdf.
- Huda, Qamar-ul. "The Problems of Violence and Conflict in Islam." Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture 9(Spring 2002): 80-98.
- Johnson, James T. "Just War and Jihad: Two Traditions on the Use of Force." Lecture at Rutgers University, 6 October 2010. Available on Youtube YouTube
- Ives, Christopher. "Dharma and Destruction: Buddhist Institutions and Violence." Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture 9(Spring 2002): 151-174.
- Kimelman, Reuven. "Working Warfare and its Restrictions in the Jewish Tradition." Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture 9(Sring 2002): 43-63.
Go to top of page
3. Teachings and Practices of Nonviolence in the World's Religions
- 3.1 What is "nonviolence"?
- 3.2 Teachings and examples from the world's religions
Please read the following before class:
Optional readings
- Abu-Nimer, Mohammed. "A Framework for Nonviolence and Peacebuilding in Islam." Journal of Law and Religion 15(1/2)(2000-2001): 217-65. Available at http://humanrights.utah.edu/AbuNimer_JLR_2001.pdf
- Appleby, Scott. "Militants for Peace." Chapter 4 in The Ambivalence of the Sacred: Religion, Violence and Reconciliation. Boston: Rowan and Littlefield, 1999. Available at http://www.wilsoncenter.org/subsites/ccpdc/pubs/apple/frame.htm
- Carro, Jorge L. "Sanctuary: The Resurgence of an Age-Old Right or Dangerous Misinterpretation of an Abandoned Ancient Privilege. University of Cincinnati Law Review 54 (1985-1986): 747-778.
- Gandhi, Mohandas. Speech of Mahatma Gandhi recorded in Kingsley Hall, London 1931. Audio archive http://www.indiavideo.org/text/gandhi/. Available on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yMcNubXqc4&feature=fvwrel.
- Huda, Qamar ul. Crescent and Dove, Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam. Washington DC: United States Institute of Peace Press, October 1, 2010. See a video
- Waskow, Arthur. "Sword and Plowshare as Tools of Tikkun Olam: Violence & Nonviolence in Jewish Thought & Action". Shalom Center, 2007. Available https://theshalomcenter.org/node/1299
- King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I've Been to the Mountain Top." Speech given at Mason Temple, Memphis, Tennessee, April 3, 1968. Pt 1 (YouTube). Part 2 (YouTube). Full text
- King, Martin Luther. On Nonviolence. YouTube online (~4 minutes)
- King, Sallie B. "Buddhism, Nonviolence, and Power." Journal of Buddhist Ethics 16 (2009): Abstract available at http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/?s=sallie+king. Full text at http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/files/2010/05/king.pdf.
- * "India — Defying the Crown." In A Force More Powerful. Produced by Steve York, York Zimmerman, 2000.
- * "Nashville - We Were Warriors." In A Force More Powerful. Produced by Steve York, York Zimmerman, 2000.
- Jackson, Mahalia. "Down by the Riverside." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6xpEwmxhkg See Lyrics
- Reticker, Gini, director. Pray the Devil Back to Hell. New York: Fork Films, 2009. 72 minutes. Available http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/
- Satha-Anand, Chaiwat. "The Nonviolent Crescent: Eight Theses on Muslim Nonviolent Actions." In Islam and Nonviolence, edited by Glenn D. Paige, Chaiwat Satha-Anand (Qader Muheideen), and Sarah Gilliatt. Honolulu: Center for Global Nonviolence, 2001. Available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/19548572/Islam-and-Nonviolence-Edited-by-Glenn-D-Paige-Chaiwat-SathaAnand-and-Sara-Gilliattby
- Smock, David R. "Perspectives on pacifism: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim views on nonviolence and international conflict." Washington, DC: USIP, 1995.
- Shastri, Sunanda Y., and Yajneshwar S. Shastri. "Ahimsa and the Unity of All Things: A Hindu View of Nonviolence." In Subverting Hatred: The Challenge of Nonviolence in Religious Traditions, Edited by Daniel L. Smith-Christopher. Boston: Boston Research Center for the 21st Century, 1998.
- Smith-Christopher, Daniel L. Subverting hatred: the challenge of nonviolence in religious traditions. Maryknoll: Orbis, 2007.
- Thistlethwaite, Susan, and Glen Stassen, eds. Abrahamic Alternatives to War: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives on Just Peacemaking. Special report 214. Washington, DC: USIP, October 2008. Available at USIP: USIP (pdf).
- Wink, Walter. "Nonviolence for the Violent." Youtube video available at Part 1 (~8 minutes), Part 2 (~9 minutes), Part 3 (~9 minutes), Part 4 (~10 minutes), Part 5 (~10 minutes) (total time approximately 50 minutes)
Go to top of page>
4. Conflict Transformation
- Apologies, forgiveness, reconciliation
- Processes and practices
- Cases
Optional Readings and Films
- Abu-Nimer, Mohammed. "Dialogue in the Second Intifada: Between Despair and Hope." Global Dialogue 4(3)(Summer 2002): Available at http://www.worlddialogue.org/content.php?id=241.
- Abu Nimer, Mohammed. "Conflict Resolution, Culture, and Religion: Toward a Training Model of Interreligious Peacebuilding." Journal of Peace Research 38(6) (2001): 685 704.
- An-Na'im, Abdullahi Ahmed. "Competing Visions of History in Internal Islamic Discourse and Islamic-Western Dialogue." In Time and History: The Variety of Cultures, edited by Jorn Rusen, 135-150. New York, Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2007. Available at http://www.law.emory.edu/aannaim/pdfiles/visions-history.pdf
- Channer, David, Producer. The Imam and the Pastor, produced by David Channer. FLTFilms, Initiatives of Change, 2006. 10-minute clip available http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oapAA0XUaH4
- Chuah, Osman Abdullah. "Conflicts and Peace Initiatives between Minority Muslims and Thai Buddhists in the Southern Thailand." Journal of Religion, Conflict and Peace 3(2)(Spring 2010). Available http://www.religionconflictpeace.org/node/61.
- Encounter Point. Just Vision, 2006.
Part 1, and Part 2 - "An Enemy Worse than Death: Wilma and Cliff Derksen." In Journey Towards Forgiveness. Mennonite Media Productions, 2005.
- Fetzer Institute. "Consider Forgivness" series:
- Volf, Miroslav. "Consider Forgivness." Fetzer Institute. [A Christian perspective] Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8fbjzQcTwsavailable
- Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp. "Consider Forgiveness." Fetzer Institute. [A Jewish perspective] Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuU4hXKrVc&feature=relmfu
- Sheikh Mohammed M. Ali. "Consider Forgiveness." Fetzer Institute. [A Muslim perspective] Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61OwntwL1rY&feature=relmfu
- Jan Chozen Bays. "Consider Forgiveness." Fetzer Institute. [A Zen Buddhist perspective] Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvfyEIeaI74
- Galtung, Johan. "Twelve creative ways to foster reconciliation after violence." Intervention 3(3)(2005): 222 - 234. Available http://www.interventionjournal.com/downloads/33pdf/222_234_Galtung.pdf.
- Hargreaves, Alec G. "Muslims in France: The Quest for Social Justice." Global Dialogue 9(3–4)(Summer/Autumn 2007): Available at http://www.worlddialogue.org/content.php?id=412.
- Huda, Qamar-ul. The Koran Desecration and the Role of Religion in Conflict: Peacebrief. USIP, March 2012. Available at http://www.usip.org/publications/the-koran-desecration-and-the-role-religion-in-conflict.
- Irani, George, and Nathan Funk. "Rituals of Reconciliation: Arab-Islamic Perspectives." Kroc Institute Occasional Paper 19:OP:2. August 2000. Available at http://uwaterloo.academia.edu/NathanFunk/Papers/317740/_Rituals_of_Reconciliation_Arab-Islamic_Perspectives
- Johnston, Kellie, Gus Camelino, and Roger Rizzo. "A Return to 'Traditional' Dispute Resolution: An examination of Religious Dispute Resolution Systems." Edmonton: Canadian Forum on Civil Justice, 2000. Available at http://cfcj-fcjc.org/clearinghouse/drpapers/traditional.htm
- Katongole, Emmanuel, and Chris Rice. Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Press, 2008.
- Katongole Emmanuel M., and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. Mirror to the Church: Resurrecting Faith after Genocide in Rwanda. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.
- Kilic, Sevgi, Sawitri Saharso, and Birgit Sauer. "Introduction: The Veil: Debating Citizenship, Gender and Religious Diversity." Social Politics 15(4)(2008): 397-410. Available http://internationalhumanrightslaw.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Introduction-The-Veil-Debating-Citizenship-Gender-and-Religious-Diversity.pdf/
- Marshall, Katherine, and Susan Hayward, with Claudia Zambra, Esther Breger, and Sarah Jackson. Women in Religious Peacebuilding. Peaceworks. Washington DC: USIP, 2011. Available at USIP (pdf)
- Mason, Simon J.A., and Moncef Kartas, eds. Transforming Conflicts with Religious Dimensions: Methodologies and Practical Experiences, 27-28 April 2009, Zurich, Switzerland. Geneva: Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, 2010. Available at http://graduateinstitute.ch/webdav/site/ccdp/shared/6305/Rel%20and%20Po-%20Zurich%20Conf.pdf.
- Mizzoni, John. "St. Francis, Paul Taylor, and Franciscan Biocentrism." Environmental Ethics 26 (Spring 2004): 41-56.
- Newsnight. "Why Muslim Women Wear the Veil." BBC. n.d., uploaded to YouTube 11 May 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kBadnr2NTc
- ∅stergaard, Kate, and Kirstine Sinclair. "Danish Muslims, the Cartoon Controversy, and the Concept of Integration." Global Dialogue 9(3–4)(Summer/Autumn 2007): Available at http://www.worlddialogue.org/content.php?id=414.
- Philpott, Daniel. Religion, Reconciliation, and Transitional Justice: The State of the Field. SSRC Working Paper. New York: Social Science Research Council, 17 October 2007. Available at http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Philpott-2007_final.pdf.
- Rogers, Mark M., Tom Bamat and Julie Ideh, Eds. Pursuing Just Peace: An Overview and Case Studies for Faith-Based Peacebuilders. Baltimore, MD: Catholic Relief Services, 2008. http://www.crsprogramquality.org/storage/pubs/peacebuilding/pursuing_just_peace.pdf
- Smock, David, and Qamar-ul Huda. Islamic Peacemaking Since 9/11: Special Report Washington DC: USIP, 2009. Available at http://www.usip.org/publications/islamic-peacemaking-911
- Swidler, Leonard. "The Dialogue Decalogue: Ground Rules for Interreligious Dialogue." Inter-Religio 5 (1984):30-33. Available at Inter-Religio (3 pages)
- Theodoulou, Paul, ed. Europe and Its Muslims: Global Dialogue 9(3–4)(Summer/Autumn 2007). Available http://www.worlddialogue.org/issue.php?id=33.
- Theodoulou, Paul, ed. The Al-Aqsa Intifada: Global Dialogue 4(3)(Summer 2002). Available http://www.worlddialogue.org/issue.php?id=22.
- Theodoulou, Paul, ed. The New Universe of Faiths: Global Dialogue 2(1)(Winter 2000). Available http://www.worlddialogue.org/issue.php?id=11.
- UNESCO, ed. Women and Peace in Africa: Case studies on traditional conflict resolution practices. Paris: UNESCO, 2003. Available at http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001332/133274e.pdf Zelcer, Heshey. "Two Models of Alternative Dispute Resolution." Jewish Law, 2006. Available at http://www.jlaw.com/Articles/Zelcer.pdf
Go to top of page>
Go to top of page