Religious Security Research Articles

Muslims’ Coherent Strategy Against the Rise of Islamophobia in France

Islamophobia is one of today’s most divisive terms. Some claim that there is no such thing as the “fear of Islam,” as it is literally translated. Islamophobia, or anti-Muslimism, is a visible fact, not an academic debate. Since the 9/11 attacks and the 2005 London bombings, Muslims in the West and wherever they live as a minority have been subjected to intense scrutiny. Islamophobia in France is not a new phenomenon and the recent murder of Samuel Paty in France is undoubtedly tragic, but the rise in Islamophobia needs to be discussed by the Muslim World. This article further analyzes the French President’s reaction towards Muslims, which has brought the attention of the world towards the realization that Muslims and religious security is of great concern and needs to be protected. The article aims to explain the strategy of Muslim World about the rise of Islamophobia in France and also discusses what Muslims need to do to take immediate measures against France and the rise of Islamophobia.

СВОБОДА СОВІСТІ: СУТНІСТЬ І НОВІ КОНТЕКСТУАЛЬНІ СМИСЛИ

The article considers different approaches to the problem of freedom of conscience. As a result of the formed approaches, it can be established that the essence of research attitudes regarding freedom of conscience was mainly expressed in the model of the relationship "religious organization-person-state". Its leading idea can be considered a combination of two discursive directions of understanding freedom of conscience, which are directly related to each other – legal and axiological. Through the prism of various approaches correlated with modern scientific discourses, new contextual realities are proposed, within which freedom of conscience changes semantic nuances, being realized in the space of religious security, in its which is a free practice of faith by every person within the limits of the freedom of functioning of religious organizations is possible. It is emphasized that the essential features of freedom of conscience are influenced, firstly, by personal factors (worldview, religious traditions, etc.); secondly, confessional and inter-confessional communicative practices (both within the same denomination and at the inter-confessional level); thirdly, institutional "slices" (interactions in the processes of institutionalization), fourthly, state powers (observance of laws, consideration of international experience, prevention of abuse of religion, etc.). Their conceptualization is based on the existential-legal dominant, which largely determines their scientific discourse's content and main structural and semantic aspects. The affirmation and actualization of this discourse took place based on the synthesis of the domestic religious and legal tradition and pan-European humanistic and legal visions. Such a synthesis makes it possible to understand freedom of conscience not only as a worldview value, but also as a strategy for implementing religious security, thanks to which resistance to external and internal threats is possible.

Russian Empire’s Religious Institutions in the 18th - Early 20th Century: The Evolution of “Friend - Alien - Foe” Relations

The Russian governments three principal institutions to regulate the empires diverse religions from the 18th to the early 20th century are examined. Its author describes the evolution of these bodies, their features and purpose, as well as defining the concept of religious security by analyzing its specific historical content. The author also discusses the relationship between the institutions of the official Russian Church, religious tolerance for foreign confessions, and discrimination against the Old Believers through the prism of friend - alien - foe relations. This approach helps us understand the hierarchical nature of the relations and contradictions that existed between the institutions, whose activities regulated the religious life of the Russian Empires subjects until 1905. The article goes on to analyze the relationship between the official legal status of the Russian Church, imperial tolerance, and religious discrimination. It concludes that the formation of the three state-religious institutions that began in the 18th century ended during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I. That time saw the beginning of the gradual evolution of friend - alien - foe inter-institutional relations, which peaked under Emperor Nicholas in 1904-1906. The author also considers the changes in the governments policy towards the Russian schism of the 17th century, which ultimately removed the friend-or-foe opposition in the relations between the Russian state, the Russian Church and the schismatic Old Believers. In accordance with the modernized legislation on religious tolerance, lawful Old Believers and sectarians moved from the category of religious and political foes to that of aliens, to which foreign confessions traditionally belonged. Under the new legal and political conditions, intolerance and religious discrimination against the schism ceased to be an instrument of state policy.

The importance of the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine for the confessional policy of the Russian Federation in Central and Eastern Europe

The subject of the article is an analysis of the impact of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's autocephaly process on Ukraine's relations with the Russian Federation. Orthodoxy, understood as both a religious institution and a denomination, has been a constant and most important component of Russia's identity since the very beginning of its existence. It remains the dominant religion in the Russian Federation, despite the religious diversity resulting from the multi-ethnic nature of the state. The aim of the article is to analyze the role of the Orthodox Church in the internal and foreign policy of the Russian Federation. In Russian-Ukrainian relations, it played an important role in supporting activities such as the annexation of Crimea or support for pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas. The position of the Russian Orthodox Church in contemporary Russia is also associated with a specific type (model) of the policy pursued by that state, referred to as "confessional policy (diplomacy)", integrally connected with the issues of religious security of the country. The analysis of the content of the program documents of the state institutions of the Russian Federation and internal organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church allows to distinguish the so-called differentia specifica, characterizing the community of assumptions and the identity of actions undertaken by state and church institutions in Russia. Church institutions are perceived as the so-called The "national" church of the Russian Federation. This results in the Church becoming entangled in various parapolitical affiliations, which in turn has specific implications in the political and interfaith sphere. The authors, on the basis of the conducted analysis, conclude that the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is essential for the country's independence from Russia – it strengthens the Ukrainian national identity and limits Russian influence in this country.

Cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in the field of religious security

Ауғанстандағы соңғы оқиғалардан кейін Орталық Азия елдері де басқа елдер сияқты  сыртқы саясатын өзгертуге мәжбүр болды. Ауғанстандағы тәліптердің билікті басып алуы аймақтағы қазіргі жағдайға әсер етпей қоймады. Бір жағынан Орталық Азия аймағында бірқатар жергілікті проблемалар болса, екінші жағынан ықпалды ойыншылар үшін күрес алаңы болып табылады. Қытай аймақтағы ықпалын барлық салада арттыруды көздесе, Ресей аймақтағы әлсіреген ықпалын қалпына келтіру үшін аймақтағы жаңа геосаяси ойындарды пайдаланбақ. Осыған байланысты Орталық Азия елдері Ресей Федерациясы және Қытай Халық Республикасы сияқты өздеріне көршілес елдермен аймақтағы өзара қарым-қатынастар үшін жаңа бірлескен жауапкершілікті анықтауы қажет. Мақаланың негізгі мақсаты – Қытай мен Орталық Азия елдері арасындағы діни қауіпсіздік саласындағы ынтымақтастықтың қиындықтары мен ортақ мүдделерін анықтау және одан әрі дамытудың өзара тиімді тұжырымдамаларын белгілеу. Қытай Халық Республикасы үшін Орталық Азия аймағындағы қауіпсіздік пен тұрақтылықты сақтау өте маңызды. Аймақтағы тұрақтылықты сақтау тек экономикалық мүдде тұрғысынан ғана емес, мемлекеттің ішкі тыныштығын бұзбау үшін де қажет. Шыңжаң-Ұйғыр автономиялық ауданында мұсылман халықтарының болуы, оның ішінде орталық билікке қарсы оппозияцияның болуы, оның ықпал ету аймағына тым жақын Ауғанстан Ислам мемлекетінің құрылуы, сонымен қатар олардың тарихи, этникалық және ең бастысы, діни бірлігі Қытай үшін маңызды мәселелердің бірі болып табылады. Қытай басшылары Орталық Азия аймағын діни экстремизм мен радикалды ағымдардың өз аумағына енуіне жол бермеу үшін қалқан «буфер» ретінде пайдаланбақ. Бұл екіжақты қарым-қатынаста да, Шанхай ынтымақтастық ұйымы аясындағы көпжақты қарым-қатынаста да діни қауіпсіздік саласындағы басты мақсаттардың бірі.

Структура глобальной религиозной безопасности

The aim of the article is to reveal the structure of religious security using the method of systemic representation. The article considers the phenomenon of religious security as being of great importance for security in the modern world. External and internal factors of religious security are considered in order to study the impact of globalization processes. The connection with the system approach is taken into account, and the examples of global religious problems and processes are given while studying each factor of religious security. The scientific originality lies in comprehensive and structural study of the phenomenon of religious security from the socio-philosophical point of view. As a result, it was proved that the structure of religious security consists of five levels, has not only internal and external aspects of its existence and development, but also the aspect of integrity, revealing the influence of the religious factor on security in general.

Religious Security

The coronavirus pandemic has led to reform in the religious security of the world as a whole. Existing research on the problem is based on approaches that are purely informational and non–systemic, which limits the possibilities of understanding the problem to the context of the “religion–person–state” system. Restrictions on visits to places of worship have to some extent diminished the importance of religious practices. Pandemic threats have called into question the authority of religion and religious figures. The proposed methodological tools make it possible to fully substantiate the criteria of both destructive (which under certain circumstances can be a threat to the national interests of the state, the stable development of society, the exercise of the rights and freedoms of citizens) and constructive cases (the emergence of new communication contexts in which ritual and cult practice can take place) for the development of religious security and its historical genesis in the context of the meaning–forming axis “sacred–profane”, “health–disease”. The coronavirus pandemic, firstly, encouraged religious organizations to adopt new adaptive forms for cult practices; secondly, it changed the approach to religious ministry in society, to the role of the priest in this process; thirdly, it raised the question of the implementation of sacraments and rituals in uncommon circumstances; fourthly, it has exacerbated the issue of ineffective relations between religious organizations both at the interfaith level and at the level of public administration; fifthly, it affected the modernization process of religious communication practices which are not a health threat to the people. These new trends made possible not only the expansion of the functionality of religious security, but also prompted the creation of a flexible, adaptive, open model, which would take into account the regulatory, institutional, resource, and information capabilities of the country, as well as the mentality of the people.

YOUTHS AS AN AGENT FOR PEACEBUILDING: A CASE STUDY OF MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

Young people need to be recognized and supported to play a major role as agents of peace. The society needs to partner with them to form a sine qua non (an essential condition) in promoting the global agenda for youth involvement in sustainable peace. Peacebuilding is broadly defined as an ‘action to identify and support structures which tends to strengthen and solidify peace in order to avoid a relapse into conflict.’ Therefore, peacebuilding is directed towards the eradication of the root causes of violence and is necessarily a multifaceted and multidimensional project that involves political, legal, economic, social, religious and cultural institutions and security practices, which are understood as complementary and mutually reinforcing. This paper examines how the involvement of youths in the peacebuilding process can promote sustainable peace in Maiduguri, Borno State, as a result of the Boko Haram conflict to avoid future occurrences of such conflict. The objective of the study is to explore the role Maiduguri youths can play in building sustainable and long-term peace in Maiduguri, Borno State as a critical stakeholder. The study employs the multidimensional research method also as a peer-review paper, the secondary source of data was used. The finding reveals that youth are critical stakeholders in peacebuilding and should be involved at all stages of the peace process. The study recommends that the Borno State Government should formulate policies and programs that are directed towards youth’s engagement in governance, address unemployment problem etc. since participatory democracy, youth empowerment, and social wellbeing are critical drivers of sustainable development, peace and security.

СВЯЗЬ РЕЛИГИОЗНОЙ И ИНФОРМАЦИОННОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ОБЩЕСТВА В КОНТЕКСТЕ РОССИЙСКОГО КОНСТИТУЦИОНАЛИЗМА

in the article the author examines the relationship between the religious and information security of Russia. The conclusion is made about the complete coincidence of some of these threats.
 The author notes that many of the thunderstorms to Russia's religious and information security were reduced to zero through the 2020 constitutional reform. This reform is an important stage in the development of Russian constitutionalism.
 The article analyzes the ways of updating the constitutional norms that now ensure the religious and information security of Russia.

Assurance of security and order of grassroots political system of religious areas of Nghe an province, Vietnam

Ensuring social order and security in general and religious areas in particular is the most important task of governments at all levels and the entire political system in each locality nationwide. Nghe An province, Vỉetnam is a locality with many religious followers. For recent years, in general, religious organizations in the province have built the orientations of their religious activities under the law, built all-people great unity bloc, maintained political stability, created a great motivation in economic and social development. Currently, in the context of the world, regional and domestic situation, there are many complicated and unpredictable developments, many new problems in religious activities, therefore, it’s required that the government and the whole political system of religious area needs to bring into full play their roles to ensure social order and security, especially religious security issues.

Social and environmental problems of religious deviation: from critical methodology to practice

The question of the relationship between religion and power in the post-secular era, as well as the problem of social inequality of new religious movements with traditional religions, is a real challenge, and not only to social sciences. The relevance of the topic reveals the inevitability of analyzing the phenomenon of the revival of religiosity, in which complex processes of lack of trust, the interconnection of systemic development and religious security take place. The search for solutions to the problem requires an understanding of historical experience, including an appeal to socio-philosophical analysis. The article presents a reflection on the principles in solving problems related to the prevention of the influence of destructive religious groups. The proposed example of a socio-philosophical analysis of the problem under study, as one of several interrelationships between religion, power, education and humanism, is carried out through the concepts of “spiritual security”, “religious security”, “education”, “critical thinking” and “confessional stability”. In conclusion, a thesis is proposed that allows a multi-level and deeper discussion of the problem with the ability to formulate real solutions and their conditions.

СПІВВІДНОШЕННЯ ДЕМОКРАТИЗАЦІЇ ТА РЕЛІГІЙНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ

The article examines the problems of the component s of the concept of threats to religious security, for example, which are transformed into concepts. Religion as a relatively independent socio-cultural reality needs protection from internal and external threats. Religious security is a system of conditions that ensures the preservation of the traditional religious system within the established norm that has historically developed. The problem of religious security was identified when the cases of anti-state, anti-social activities of religious associations became more frequent. Methodology: The following research methods were used to address the issues set in the article: general scientific methods – descriptive, systemic, structural-functional, comparative, institutional-comparative; general logical methods – empirical, statistical, prognostic modeling and analysis; special methods of political science. The preference was given to the method of political-system analysis, by which the common and distinctive characteristics of the basic components of soft power strategies were identified, reflecting existing political, public, information and other challenges for international relations and global development. Results. As societies develop from agrarian to industrial to knowledge-based, growing existential security tends to reduce the importance of religion in people's lives and people become less obedient to traditional religious leaders and institutions. Research of the problem by scientists. Religion is characterized by the historical predominance of Catholic Christianity (40 % of the world's Catholics in the region). Conclusions. Although some religious conservatives warn that the retreat from faith will lead to a collapse of social cohesion and public morality, the evidence doesn't support this claim. Surprising as it may seem, countries that are less religious actually tend to be less corrupt and have lower murder rates than religious ones.

Religious security in vietnam today

For a long time, social awareness still asserts that religion with a supernatural belief system will bring people peace and help believers face challenges of life. People who perform religious rituals will create a “mechanism” to fight stress, reduce psychological stress, and even cure illnesses. But another reality exists, religious beliefs can be a factor causing people to behave in the wrong way such as killing innocent people, committing suicide or threatening the right to life, the right to political, social stability, the right to religious freedom of others. Religion can become an opportunity, power to control human security, community security, social security, more extensively national security and ideological maintenance of that nation. Therefore, it is necessary to study the topic of religious security adequately with the extent of its influence. In this article, I will analyze the current situation of religious security in Vietnam by assessing the religious activities.

Religious Identity and Confessional Security Through the Eyes of the Student Youth of the Russian Caspian Region

Important factors of both confessional and societal security are important factors of both confessional and societal security. Social media resistant level gauge. In this article, the study focused on the student youth of the Caspian region, and the subject is their view of their own religious identity and confessional security. The starting point was regional studies conducted over the past 10 years by researchers from the Republic of Kalmykia, the Republic of Dagestan and the Astrakhan Region. The purpose of this article is to identify the level of confessional security of the Russian part of student youth in the Caspian region. For this, in November-­December 2020. sociological research was carried out among students of higher educational institutions of the Russian Caspian region (N732). Method of obtaining primary sociological information: handout electronic questionnaires using the Survey Studio service. Sampling error — no more than 3%. The research toolkit and matrix were developed by the authors. In the course of the research, a high level of students’ religiosity was revealed, mainly due to Dagestan and Kalmykia. The main factor of religious identity was the human, institutional factor most clearly manifested itself in Kalmykia, and the virtual one in Dagestan. The results of the study show that the youth of the Caspian region is inclined towards tolerance, but does not give a sufficient sense of reciprocal tolerance both at the national and regional levels. Their own educational institutions seem to be the most tolerant. Not recognizing the religion of the societal future as a systemic regulator, nevertheless, significant students, both believers and non-believers. recognizes her as a kind of guarantor of security.

«Религиозная безопасность в Нижнем Поволжье: современное состояние и технологии стабилизации»: материалы круглого стола

The main issue for discussion at the round table was the current state of the religious situation in the Lower Volga region (Astrakhan, Volgograd, Saratov regions) and the technology of stabilization of ethno-confessional relations. The article deals with the problems of ensuring religious security, particularly the identification of religious extremist sentiments, interconfessional tensions in the Lower Volga region. As the mechanisms of stabilization the speakers highlighted the increasing role of national and cultural autonomies of the Lower Volga region in the stabilization of national and religious relations. The materials also present scientific and practical recommendations to the state authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to minimize socio-religious risks.

Современная модель государственно-конфессиональных отношений в Нижнем Поволжье как механизм обеспечения религиозной безопасности

The article analyzes modern models of church-state relations in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation of the Lower Volga region as a mechanism for ensuring religious security in a post-secular environment. The issue has been studied basing on the research array formed by regional scientists. The data obtained during the author's expert interview (spring 2020) of the representatives of the establishment, public figures, and ministers of religious worship have also been used. The authors assume that church-state relations are a set of conditions and factors designed to create a direct or indirect impossibility for religiosity to harm national interests and religiosity itself. The study focuses on the practical, institutional and organizational, normative and legal, and ideological and value components of the model of church-state relations. The paper also gives reason to the assumption that a partnership model is being formed in the Lower Volga region at the present stage, which is characterized by a differentiated attitude of state and municipal authorities to religious organizations, bilateral agreements, the presence of permanent and recurrent institutional practices involved in the regional political process.

Актуальні проблеми забезпечення міжнародних гарантій релігійної свободи та конституційного права на свободу віросповідання в Україні

The basic international guarantees of religious freedom are examined in the article, which are declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention for the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. A systematic analysis is done of the compliance of the Constitution of Ukraine and relevant national legislation with universal international acts in terms of ensuring the rights of believers and religious communities. Current problems are generalized in the religious sphere of modern Ukrainian society, which characterized by destructive processes around the unification process of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, interfaith conflicts and violations of religious freedom in the occupied territories. The conclusions and recommendations are analyzed of the UN and the OSCE on the growth of acts of violence, inaction of law enforcement agencies and the adoption of legislation that negatively affected the fundamental freedoms of citizens in Ukraine in the religious sphere. The specifics of the administrative influence of the state in the religious sphere are revealed, the limits of such influence are revealed, which are connected with practical aspects of religious activity, religious relations, creation and functioning of religious organizations, as well as another part of the sphere of religion, which is outside the scope of such influence by the state. Given the multi-ethnicity and poly-confessional Ukrainian society, approaches are outlined to improving the state policy of Ukraine are outlined in the religion sphere in accordance with European principles of worldview tolerance, tolerance of other people’s beliefs and other values ​​and EU neutrality in the religion. In the conditions of aggravation of confessional relations in Ukraine and for the purpose of ordering of religious space, it is proposed to introduce into public administration practice a conceptual model of public administration in the sphere of ensuring religious security. Key words human rights; international humanitarian standards; freedom of thought and religion; religious conflicts.

Уровень и характер межконфессиональной напряженности в Нижнем Поволжье

The article analyzes the data of a sociological survey conducted in the spring of 2020 of the Bottom Volga area by the research team of the Department of history, political science and sociology of the Saratov state law Academy. Primary sociological information was collected using the Internet survey of respondents using the Google forms service. The sample size was 1,100 people. Representatives of the Astrakhan region (184 respondents), Volgograd region (307) and Saratov region (609) were interviewed. The empirical study allowed us to determine the influence of respondents' religion on the perception of religious threats, as well as problems of interfaith dialogue. The regional specifics of the quality of interfaith relations were revealed, and the levels of religious tension in the Astrakhan, Volgograd and Saratov regions were compared. The survey revealed hidden tensions in the region's interfaith relations (including among the Orthodox majority). Representatives of the Muslim community showed an optimistic attitude in their responses. A potentially dangerous predisposition to politicizing religion has been identified among those groups that are under pressure to identify with their faith. The study revealed: there is a high level of concern about issues of faith among representatives of the Muslim community; a positive attitude towards increasing the role of religion in socio-political life, increasing the level of secularization of society. Atheists of the Lower Volga region showed open dissatisfaction with the state of religious relations in the region. Atheists of the Lower Volga region showed open dissatisfaction with the state of religious relations in the region. This group appears as an object of the religious security system, which under pressure is transformed into a subject protesting against secularization processes. The author concludes that the main strategy should be to study and solve the internal problems of religious minorities, and a complementary strategy can be to counteract external (foreign) religious threats.

New forms of spirituality and the threat of sects in the context of religious security

The presented article is an attempt to show the relationship between the emerging new forms of spirituality and the threat of sects. The authors analyze the contemporary cultural context in terms of widely understood spirituality. They then come to the conclusion that subjectivization of religion leads to destabilization of the religious life of a given community and gives rise to possibilities of abuse in the religious space. At the same time, the authors are aware of the urgent need to free religion from ossification, passivity, the feeling of siege, excessive institutionalisation. However, they want to draw attention to the dangers resulting from the simplification that is increasingly being heard, which can be formulated as follows: Let us move religion into the private sphere, and the problems of religious conflicts and abuses connected with spiritual life will end. The authors draw attention to the fact that the problem is much more complex and requires coordinated action on religious security.

The legal issues of the substantiation of new types of national
 security

The subject of the article is the typology of national security, and controversial issues of the
 selection.
 The purpose of the article is to identify causes of a large number of security’s forms both in
 theory and in practice, also to analyze acts in this sphere.
 The methodology of the article includes analysis, synthesis, formal-legal and comparativelegal methods.
 The main results of the research. The author focuses on the problem of types of national
 security. The author investigates the national security and methodological, theoretical and
 legal aspects of the classification of national security’s forms. The reason for the diversity
 of types of national security should also be recognized as the lack of a clear classification of
 them. Author investigates the mechanism for detaching forms of national security in acts
 of the Russian Federation in the field of security and suggests that new forms of nation
 security (moral security and culture security) should appear in base document of strategic
 planning of the national security. Moral security includes cultural, ideological, informational, psychological, scientific, educational, and religious security. Cultural security in its
 most general form is the stable existence of culture, the protection of this sphere from internal and external threats, for example, such as the emasculation of spiritual and moral
 values and globalization.
 Conclusions. The identification of new types of national security is an objective process due
 to the very versatility of such a phenomenon as national security. At the same time, it
 should be recognized that the sphere of spirit and morality in the context of spiritual security does not belong to the legal science, but rather to the field of philosophy and religion.
 In this regard, their inclusion, even as an adjective, in the text of the strategic planning document raises doubts, so the use of the phrase "moral security" in legal acts in the near future, in our opinion, can hardly be expected.