Religious Violence Research Articles

Sacred Text Narratives and Religious Violence: The Case of Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in Indonesia

FPI is one among several Islamist Groups in Indonesia. Seeing through its fierce actions, people tend to judge FPI as radicals. Some political elites even classify it as terrorist. Despite the fact that it violates many rules, FPI claims to be a religious and pious one. The government disbanded FPI at the end of 2020 because of its numerous violent actions. However, it continues to get support from many Islamic communities. For some conservative Muslims, FPI actions are a sample of how Islamic teaching should be applied in daily life. Using qualitative research and narrative analysis, this paper explored the narrative of Sacred Text, especially the Quran and Hadith presented by FPI, on how it is managed, interpreted, and spread to the public. This paper also explored the possible errors FPI made in narrating sacred text. The results show FPI’s determination to interpret and narrate sacred text as a way to achieve a goal, without considering the views of other religious scholars and books that can better guide narrating and interpreting the Sacred Text.

Popular violence and ‘lay religion’ in centre-west Mexico during Mexico’s Cristero war (1926-29)

This article suggests that the Cristero insurgency of 1926-29 was a form of lay religious violence inimical not only to the Mexican Revolution but also to the interests of the Catholic civilians and hierarchy the rebels claimed to represent. By the same token, Cristeros shared with their Revolutionary enemies a habit of plebeian vigilantism which was informed by economic and politico-religious mobilisation underway since 1910. Focusing on the mestizo and indigenous populations in the states of Zacatecas, Durango and Jalisco, this article shows how the external conflict presented by the Church-state crisis of 1926 was used as a pretext for localised disputes concerning land and pillage. The Cristiada of 1926-29 thus deserves to be understood as part of the pattern of popular protest over land, property and autonomy which had been unleashed by the onset of the Mexican Revolution in 1910. This article concludes with an explanation of the military and political relevance of the Cristero conflict today.

A Philosophical Expose Towards A ‘God After God’

The escalation of violent incidents in recent times has brought religions to the forefront of world politics, resulting in a shift from their traditional role as conduits of divine revelation to becoming instruments of power and dominance. This phenomenon of kratophany exemplifies the manifestation of violence within religious contexts. The occurrence of violence may be attributed to the foundation of eschatological interpretations within various theological frameworks. The emergence of religious triumphalism and fundamentalism stemming from these theological perspectives has posed a significant danger to both world peace and ecumenical dialogue. The need for peace among faiths has transitioned from being a mere choice to an urgent necessity in contemporary times. The deity that is sought to be understood via the lens of eschatology is a divine being that exists in the future, sometimes referred to as an "after God." Hence, in order to get this comprehension, it is imperative to relinquish any remnants of onto-theological thought that now plague the eschatological analysis of religions. The violent interpretations of eschatologies used by Abrahamic faiths result in a significant loss of significance. The present research aims to address the hermeneutic context that poses a threat of religious violence. This intervention might be likened to Abraham getting Isaac back after first renouncing the notion of a violent sacrifice. In the present day, it is imperative for the Abrahamic faiths to discontinue the practise of harsh sacrifice and instead embrace the concept of peace as a valuable offering.

Fragments Shored Against Ruins: Defragmenting India through the Gathering Storm

Travel between territories which exists contemporaneously is baffling in a psychogeographical sense. What had previously been considered as movement through indifferent space seems to be movement through time, into the future or into the past. The spatial assemblages within which these figures travel each have their own temporality, a rhythm that is produced and maintained by the processes that produce and maintain the human and nonhuman elements of the territory. Therefore travel narrative manifests itself as a narrative of space and difference and consequently travel writing as a format reflects an incessant surge of new concepts, new ways of seeing and being.. In this context, I argue that such an attempt is made by Harish Nambiar in his Defragmenting India: Riding a Bullet through the Gathering Storm, a travelogue narrative of a motorbike trip of the author and his friend across various states. Written in the dramatic backdrop of the 2002 Godhra riots, it provides an account of the various fault lines of Indian society quivering in the temblors that the communal riots of Gujarat sent across the nation. The book maps the urban consciousness of India by juxtaposing lives, issues and situations of educated and the uneducated, craftsman and conservationist, teacher and businessman, daughters and drunks from small towns and non-metro cities of India. It thus succeeds in capturing the undercurrents that flow through the life of a nation, community, city, families and individuals, simultaneously cutting across narrow divisive borders.

Re‐Examining Collective Religious Violence at Rajneeshpuram: A Cultural Opposition Model Analysis

AbstractThe research literature on collective religious violence with regard to new or nontraditional religious movements (NRMs) has revealed an engaging set of arguments about the relative importance of internal versus external factors. While internal or group‐bounded factors are certainly significant, external factors and conditions are sometimes overlooked or at least not fully appreciated. This article synthesizes several models of collective religious violence highlighting external factors into a single “cultural opposition” model to reexamine the Rajneesh movement case in Oregon in the 1980s. I contend that key external incidents, particularly the bombing of the Rajneesh hotel by outsiders, serve as pivotal turning point for the dramatic advent of an armed encampment. The study then offers evidence to support the proposition that exogenous conditions of intense cultural opposition can transform the nonviolent beliefs and practices of a peaceful religious community into the endogenous conditions that Robbins identifies as “necessary” to heighten the likelihood of collective religious violence.

Sacred Time and Religious Violence: Evidence from Hindu-Muslim Riots in India

How and when can religious times become focal points for communal violence? In the context of Hindu-Muslim riots in India, I argue that incompatible ritual holidays where one religion’s rituals are at odds with another (e.g., sacrificing cows or engaging in processions with idolatry) help explain the positive effect of sacred time on religious rioting. Holidays with incompatible rituals provide doctrinal differences that make riots more likely. These types of holidays can be used by riot entrepreneurs to incite violence or can independently raise an individual’s willingness to engage in violence. I provide support for this argument by analyzing data on Hindu-Muslim riots across 100 years. I investigate the mechanisms through additional analysis and examining historical and present-day cases of riots that occurred on holidays. By focusing on the content of religion, this paper demonstrates how particular religious holidays can provide the underlying conditions that elites use to incite religious violence.

“Only a God Can Save Us Now”: Why a Religious Morality Is Best Suited to Overcome Religiously Inspired Violence and Spare Innocents from Harm

It is common to hear the refrain that religion is a major cause of violence today. And this claim is not without merit. Religious differences can fuel animosity and lead to societal conflict. On the other hand, scholars have increasingly recognized the role of religion in overcoming societal divides and helping people to heal and forgive. This paper will examine the latter capacity of religion to minimize the harms that occur during violent conflicts. It will be argued that secular ethical theories often fail to provide any principles or foundations that can help moderate passions, alleviate tensions, or provide frameworks for what is licit in war. In fact, the world views of terrorists and secular ethicists of war are often strikingly similar. Religious ethicists, on the contrary, have often encouraged practices (prayer for one’s enemies, forgiveness) and provided principles (dignity of every human, non-combatant immunity, just war theory) that can help moderate the violent tendencies of war and bring about a more peaceful and equitable resolution. While religion is not entirely off the hook for promoting violent conflict, religion can provide ethical frameworks and principles that help minimize the harms of conflicts and promote world peace.

Religious Violence in 5th Century Alexandria: The Controversy between Bishop Cyril and Governor Orestes and the Murder of Hypatia

Religious Violence in 5th Century Alexandria: The Controversy between Bishop Cyril and Governor Orestes and the Murder of Hypatia

Rearticulating Islamic Feminism

This article explores the role and impact of the Indonesian Women Ulema Congress—Kongres Ulama Perempuan Indonesia (KUPI) in shaping the narrative of Islamic feminism and public policy regarding gender issues in Indonesia. This movement faces challenges from both cultural (patriarchal culture) and conservative religious views that reject the narrative of Islamic feminism. Nevertheless, the two occurrences of KUPI in 2017 and 2022 demonstrate that the impact of this movement is significant. This research uses content analysis methods to assess various types of publication material, including justice gender fatwas and official publications related to KUPI. The main research question is to what extent the theological and juridical approaches KUPI used in formulating gender fatwas influence public perceptions and policies in Indonesia. This article finds that the gender justice fatwa by KUPI not only impacts the social and cultural aspects but also shapes policy decisions, particularly in areas of anti-sexual violence, forced marriage, environmental, health, and religious violence. This article enriches the academic understanding of how Islamic feminism is articulated and implemented in a context with broad cultural and religious diversity and provides new insights into the dynamics of Islamic feminism at the global level through a contemporary case study in Indonesia.

Religious Violence and Media Coverage in Globalization India

Religious Violence and Media Coverage in Globalization India

Introduction

Armed political conflict is no stranger to contemporary Europe. Radicalized nationalist ideologies, state-sanctioned ethnic and religious violence, revolutionary separatist organizations, state-supported armies and police forces turning against civilian populations, insurgents and counterinsurgents, a long list of actors embodying the dance of death in recent times. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Iberian Studies (IJIS), ‘Unspeakable Truths’, will focus on the aftermath and the road to recovery after Basque ETA armed conflict in Spain–France (1959–2011) through the lens of affect, restorative justice, memory, peace-making efforts, and the arts (literature and film) thanks to contributions by academics, ETA and GAL victims, filmmakers, restorative justice practitioners and mediators of the Nanclares process, and peace activists.

The Two-Nation Theory: A Failed Solution to the Religious Divide in British India

The Indian Partition in 1947 split India into two independent nations: post-partition India was required to remain secular with a Hindu majority and post-partition Pakistan was required to remain secular with a Muslim majority. Unavoidably, the partition uprooted fifteen million people from their homes; Indians and Pakistanis scrambled to live with their respective religious groups. Although politicians intended for the split of pre-partition India to exterminate religious hatred, violence continued. Between one and two million people died – preceding and following the partition -- due to widespread religious violence, disease, and starvation. This essay will examine the progression of the Two-Nation Theory, and how it contributed to the Indian Partition. Understanding one of the main causes of partition will help to provide historical context for the everlasting religious division between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.

GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS OF INSECURITY AND ITS THREAT ON ROAD TRANSPORTATION IN KADUNA STATE NIGERIA

The escalating waves of criminal activities involving motorists and other road users on highways is alarming, consequently resulting in many travellers losing lives and properties. This paper is aimed at analyzing the spatial distribution of criminal activities and its threat on road transportation across the state. The study utilized both primary and secondary data sources namely: structured questionnaire (likert scale), FGD and printed material such as journals and records from security agency. The ArcGIS software was used to determine the spatial pattern of the criminal activities in the study area. The questionnaire was analyzed using Microsoft Excel Package and the results were presented in charts. The results indicated that the state is bedeviled with four major types of insecurities which are arm robbery, Kidnapping, Ethnic violence and religious violence of which armed robbery predominate with 32%. The results also indicated that more than 61% of the LGAs in state had faced at least one attacked for the period 2017 to 2021. The areas bothering thick forests such as Birnin Gwari, Chikun and Giwa Local Government Areas were heavily hit by criminal activities. It was recommended that security apparatus should be placed more on the problematic areas for proactive majors to minimize the incidences of the attacks.

The Nonviolent Christ at the Apocalyptic Center of Origen’s Homilies on Joshua

Christians ancient and modern have puzzled over the violence in the book of Joshua. Origen of Alexandria interprets this text apocalyptically, to give readers a sense of their own personal moral struggle as participating in a cosmic effort. For Origen, the central act of apocalypse is the cross of Jesus Christ, conquering evil through nonviolence and making religious violence explicitly prohibited. This is a compelling exegesis still today, since by using the cross to reinterpret Joshua, Origen presents a middle path between endorsing the violence depicted and excising or ignoring it.

Exclusionary Religious Discourse and Islamophobia: Impact and Solutions

Hate speech cases involving religion are contentious due to community disagreements on balancing restrictions with public freedom, involving complex understandings of religious adherence as a personal and cultural identity. This study aims to promote tolerant religious discourses to lessen hate speech and religious violence by examining the impact of exclusionary religious discourse on Islamophobia. The study revealed that exclusionary religious rhetoric and hate speech are the primary causes of religious intolerance and Islamophobia expansion. To prevent exclusionary religious discourse, people should promote open debate, encourage respectful communication, and establish deterrent laws. Besides, every single member of the society should set a good example by using inclusive language and refraining from harsh language. Moreover, people should recognize common values and principles in all religions to prevent hate speech and protect people's lives from exclusionary religious discourse.

Religious Fundamentalism and Violence in the Name of Religion

This article aims to reveal the strengthening of the tendency of Islamic fundamentalism in Indonesia in the Action to Defend Islam that occurred during the period 2016 to 2018. In its implementation, this action always voices Islamic symbols in a textual and rigid manner, for example “non-Muslims who disbelieve” and the prohibition on making disbelievers as leaders. Uniquely, these actions were not carried out with any violence, neither did they trigger violence in the name of religion. Why did this action not lead to religious violence even though this action was clearly in the name of religion? This study finds that there are at least three factors that prevent this action of Islamic fundamentalism from acts of religious violence, namely: first, moderate Muslim infiltration in carrying out the actions, second, there is support from great scholars such as Ustadz Arifin Ilham and Ustad AA Gym who are known to be gentle and polite to all parties, and the third is the content of the Islamic Defense Action activity which is dominated by dhikr which is ritual prayer or a litany practiced by Muslims for the purpose of glorifying God and attaining spiritual excellence and general prayer.

Beyond Liberal Peace: Religious Violence and Tactical Peacebuilding in Indonesia

Since the downfall of Suharto’s authoritarian government in 1998, Indonesia has witnessed a variety of violent conflicts, intergroup tensions and Islamist radicalism, which in turn pose threats to the country’s security, safety and peace. This article examines various forms of religious violence, particularly Islamist violence, and ways of overcoming them tactically or strategically in post-Suharto Indonesia. This article underscores the need to go beyond the liberal peace framework, underlines the significance of the implementation of tactical peacebuilding and highlights the central roles of domestic religious actors in the peace and reconciliation processes. This article suggests that tactical peacebuilding requires multiple approaches that utilise various sources, including religion and culture, and needs a strategic collaboration among manifold actors—religious and secular, state and society, domestic and foreign. The Indonesian case shows that religion is not only a source of conflict, violence and ‘violence-building’ but also a useful resource for reconciliation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

Rage and Carnage in the name of God: Religious Violence in Nigeria, written by Alao, Abiodun

Rage and Carnage in the name of God: Religious Violence in Nigeria, written by Alao, Abiodun

Faith-Based Discrimination and Violent Religious Hostilities: A Global Analysis

Several studies have found restrictions on minority faith-based communities to be related to the onset of violent religious hostilities. Absent from this work, though, is a consideration of the fact that minority religious discrimination can take different forms, and, consequently, may encourage violence in different ways. This paper seeks to fill this void by examining different forms of minority religious restrictions and their relationship to religious violence. Specifically, we analyze the comparative strength of three basic types of religious discrimination—restrictions on minority religious practices, restrictions on minority religious institutions, and restrictions on conversion and proselytizing—on violence carried out by both religious majority groups and religious minority groups. Interestingly, our analysis shows all three forms of restrictions encourage violence from religious majorities, but not from minorities. We supplement the statistical analysis with a case study of faith-based discrimination and violent religious hostilities in India.

Revisiting Partition in Tanvir Mokammel's Films in the Light of Geo-Cultural Identity Theory

The partition of 1947 is the most tragic and remarkable incident in the history of modern South Asia in creating new political identities. It separated peoples of common ethno-cultural and religious origins with artificial political borderlines imposed on their historical homelands that transformed the traditional socio-political arrangement of this region into a regional international nation-state system. Consequently, two independent states, India and Pakistan, came into being as a result of partition based on the two-nation theory. Millions of the inhabitants had to be displaced and migrated from their birth lands. In the changed circumstances, the natural identity of the individual by birth has been replaced by the political identity of the state. Due to these changes, many people remain stateless and become refugees. It appears as an unending source of crisis in this region such as identity and citizenship crises, communal politics, linguistic and cultural conflicts, communal riots, force-displacement, border killings, etc. These issues are well addressed in the three partition films - Chitra Nadir Pare (Quiet Flows the River Chitra), Swapnabhumi (The Promised Land) and Seemantorekha (The Borderline) produced by Tanvir Mokammel, an internationally acclaimed auteur filmmaker in Bangladesh. His deep insight into post-partition impact has been reflected in these films. How a filmmaker perceives partition is revisited and analyzed in this paper by an idea of contemporary political philosophy known as ‘geo-cultural identity theory’.