Introduction To International Relations And Religion

“... provides an excellent introduction to the field and significantly furthers our understanding of how religion influences international relations.” Professor Jonathan Fox, Bar Ilan University, Israel Global events in recent years – such as al Qaeda attacks on the USA on September 11, 2001 - mean various religious 'actors' carry perhaps an unexpected but now crucial influence on international relations and policy in a post-Westphalian world. Governments may now make issues linked to religion a focal point of their foreign policies and non-state actors inspired by religious concerns likewise engage politically with governments. Whilst neither a consistent, nor recent, story, overall, we are witnessing a development which has built over the last three decades, at least since the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s.The second edition of International Relations and Religion guides the reader through the complex issues at the heart of these realities with clarity and insight. Key features thoroughly addresses pertinent theoretical and analytical concepts defines the principles of a host of religious groups assesses the growing importance of the notion of 'soft' power in relation to religion and international relations focuses on the various manifestations of global religious influence Changes for the new edition fully updated to include the Obama administration’s reappraisal of the USA’s relationship with Muslim countries, and repercussions from the assassination of Bin Laden, Pope Benedict XVI’s tenure, and the ‘Arab Spring’ more attention given to how best to factor religion into key International Relations theories and approaches. more coverage of key thinkers in the context of religion and international relations, such as Reinhold Niebuhr and Christian Realism, and former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami’s ‘dialogue of civilisations’ new chapters on democratisation and democracy; development; and conflict and cooperation. Essential reading for students of International Relations and Politics, it will also prove fascinating reading to anyone who wishes to understand the world we live in and the new challenges we face. Jeffrey Haynes is Associate Dean of the Faculty of Law, Governance and International Relations, Professor of Politics, and Director of the Centre for the Study of Religion, Conflict and Cooperation, at London Metropolitan University. He is the author of many books, including, most recently, Routledge Handbook of Democratization (2012) and Religious Transnational Actors and Soft Power (2012)