Is Islam more conflict prone than other religions? A cross‐sectional study of ethnoreligious conflict

Abstract

This study assesses the validity of the stereotype (which this author does not endorse) of the Islamic militant using data from the Minorities at Risk dataset as well as additional data on religion. The results show that there is insufficient evidence to support the stereotype of the Islamic militant. However, religion tends to be a more important factor in conflicts involving Islamic ethnoreligious groups. Also, Islamic majority groups control governments which are disproportionally autocratic. The latter difference provides a partial but by no means total explanation for the first difference.