The Role of Religion in International Relations
Author:- NehaB.ALL.B final year Saraswati Institution of law, Palwal
Religion has played a leading role in promoting relations, states of war, peace, friendship and enmity between states before the peace agreements of Westphalia agreements tried to exclude religion in both theory and practice.
Religion has been an important factor in interstate relations during the ancient civilizations. Friendship, hostility, war and peace between states were always determined by religious values.
Religion in International Relations Theory
Forty years after Iran’s Islamic Revolution, three decades after Huntington (1993) much- cited article in Foreign Affairs, “The Clash of Civilizations?” and 20 years after 9/11, what IR scholars are studying when they examine ‘religion’ is varied. The REL section of ISA was founded following efforts of Ron Hassner, a professor at UC Berkeley, whose research interests are, as listed on his google Scholar page: international security, religion and international affairs, religion and conflict, and Israel studies https:/ / scholar.google.com /citation? User=odF2zi8AAAAj&-hl=en (accessed on 7 May 2021).
Merlini mention the inspiration of a “creed” in understanding of the world. What is a creed? It is a belief, particularly a religious one. An example of creed is faith in the Christian religion, expressed in the ‘Father, son and the Holy Spirit.
Religion and Conflict
The role of religion in international relations and its relationship with conflict and with peacebuilding is increasingly acknowledge but remains disputed. Governments and international organisations are increasingly willing to examine religion and incorporate it, to some degree, when addressing remerging challenges across a number of domestic and international policy areas.
Religion and International Relations
Religion and international relations related scholarship focuses on, inter alia, new, more quasi-religious frames to foreign policy issues linked to ascendant neo-nationalist and populist political parties in Europe, Turkey and elsewhere (Haynes 2021; Cesari 2021; Ozturk 2021). Others point to how intersectional identities of gender religion and religion impact women’s experience in times of conflict and political violence where religious narratives are used to justify the conflict or mobilise supporters (JENICHEN 2021.
These are wide-ranging concerns, and it seems clear that the rather single-minded fixation on 9/11 and its after is now past. The current situation of diverse foci in analyses of religion and international relations contrasts with the position in the resent past, where most attention was on the threat to international order and stability from Islamist extremism and terrorism.
Religion and Modernity and The Social Sciences
For much of the 20th century, many Western social scientists predicted that religion would to be a relevant factor in society and politics. Many trance this body of theory, know alternatively as modernization and secularization theory, to thankers including Marx, John Stuart Mill, Weber, Freud, Comte, and Durkheim. This body of theory is by no means monolithic making it difficult to accurately assess its influence, but it is possible to set some bounds.
A number of modern processes would reinforce this trend. Urbanization would undermine the traditional small communities where religion thrived. Universal education and literacy would remove religion’s monopoly on knowledge and allow individuals to question religious precepts and formulate their own interpretations of religious texts.
Religion: Morality And Social Control
Religion morality, and social control have been inexorable linked for centuries. In fact, some argue that morality and social control are derived fundamentally from religion. Dominant religious bodies in many societies define correct behavior, codify conduct, and establish social control systems designed to enforce system of behaviors. Social control is treated similarly, with attention to different types of control, distinct type of social control organizations, whether social control is unduly influenced society. The role of religion in defining and being affected by morality and social control is presented text. This section addresses how various aspects of religion affect moral behaviors and serve as social control mechanisms.
Case related to religion and their relations
Bijoe Emmanuel & Ors vs State of Kerala & Orson 11 August, 1986
Equivalent citations: 1987 AIR 748. 1986 SCR (3) 518
Author: O C Ready
Bench: Ready, O. Chinnappa (J)
PETITIONER:
BIJEO EMMANUEL & ORS.
Vs
RESPONDENT:
STATE OF KERALA & ORS.
DATE OF JUDGMENT 11/08/1986
BENCH:
READY, O. CHINNAPPA (J)
BENCH:
READY, O. CHINNAPPA (J)
DUTT, M.M. (J)
CITATOR INFO:
RF 1988 SC1208 (25)
ACT:
Constitution of India, Art. 19(1)(a) and 25(1)- National Anthem-Singing of -compulsion despite genuine conscientious religious objection – whether contravenes Fundamental Rights.
Bijeo Emmanual v. State of Kerala is a land mark case in Indian constitutional law that deals with the issue of freedom of religion and expression. The case involves three students who refused to sing the national anthem of India on religion grounds.
The incident took place in 1985 when the students, who were studying in a government school in Kerala, remained silent when the national anthem was being played in their school. This led to disciplinary action against them, including expulsion from the school. The students and their parents argued that their religion prohibited them from singing the national anthem and that their right to freedom of religion and expression was being violated.
The key issue in this case were whether the expulsion of the children was valid under the prevention of insults to National Honour Act 1971 and the Kerala Education Act and Rules, and whether it impinged on the children’s fundamental rights protected under Article 19(1) and Article 25 of the Constitution of India.
The court held that the school authorities action violated the right to education guaranteed under Article 21A of the constitution, which provides for the right to free and compulsory education for children between the ages of six and fourteen years.
The supreme court held that Article 19(1)(a) and Article 25 (Freedom of Religion and Conscience) cannot be infringed on the grounds of disrespect shown to the National Anthem. The compulsion on every student to sing the National Anthem despite their religious beliefs and free will violates Article 19(1)(a) and Article 25 of the Constitution of India.
To be fair declaring that religion should be integrated into theory is far simpler than actually performing that integration. In today’s complicated world “it is by no means clear what is in the realm of Caesar and what is in the realm of God.”
Yet this integration is essential in order to understand the events in today’s complicated world.
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