The Hindu--Muslim conflict: A pilot study of peacebuilding in Gujarat, India.

Abstract

Deep within the religious-political context of India is the Hindu-Muslim conflict. This tension continues with ever-increasing violent acts being carried out in the name of religion. As recently as February 2002, violence erupted between Hindus and Muslims in the state of Gujarat. Gujarati citizens remain concerned about the reemergence of such violence. As a result, in this pilot, qualitative study, we investigated Hindu and Muslim perceptions about the causes of violence in Gujarat, and individuals' beliefs about solutions for peacebuilding between these two groups. Thirteen main themes emerged from the semistructured interviews (e.g., prior and present Hindu-Muslim relationships, perpetrators of violence, kinds of violence, consequences of violence, hopes for future, solutions for peace). Given these themes, we present preliminary recommendations for peacebuilding between Hindus and Muslims, along with suggestions for future research on this topic.