Center on Religious-Based Conflict

[under conceptualization, planning, and design; anticipated launch: 2003]

An initiative intended to foster use-inspired scholarship is the Center on Religious-based Conflict that we will initiate in early 2003. The role of religion in conflict has become especially prominent with recent events and continuing disputes in Indonesia, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, and in our own nation, in New York City.

Religious-based conflict has occurred throughout the world during most of recorded history. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that religious-based conflict exists in our nation in areas as diverse as foreign policy, international law, teaching and learning in our schools, science and technology research and application, news coverage, and political ideology. The growing recognition of religion’s enormous role in conflict and public affairs around the world clearly indicates the urgent need for the creation of the center.