Bringing Religion into International Relations

• Series: Culture and Religion in International Relations
• Author: Jonathan Fox & Shmuel Sandler
  
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (2004)
• Language: English
• Pages: 226
• ISBN-10: 140396551X
• ISBN-13: 9781403965516
• Format: PDF

In this book, Jonathan Fox and Shmuel Sandler examine the role religion plays in international relations as well as why this role has been ignored until now by international relations theorists. Their basic argument is that while religion is not the driving force in world politics, international relations cannot be understood without taking religion into account. Religious legitimacy influences policy makers and their constituents. Local religious phenomena, especially religious conflicts, cross borders. There are a number of transnational religious phenomena including religious fundamentalism and religious terrorism. Also, many transnational issues like human rights and population control have religious components. The book argues that these manifestations of religion, as well as others, need to be incorporated into our understanding of international relations. The authors also examine Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations, which touches indirectly upon the role of religion in current world politics, as well as apply their insights to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.