religion culture and conflict

7/30/2019 Religion Culture and Conflict

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Interfaith and Intrafaith

Boundaries

Religion, Culture, and Conflict


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Some Key Culture concepts: Ethnicity: Identity with or membership in a particular racial,

national, or cultural group and observance of that group's

customs, beliefs, and language. Proselytize: to try to convert another person to your religion

(Christianity, Islam, Buddhism proselytizing religions)

Fundamentalism: literal interpretation and strict adherence tobasic principles of a religion leads to extremism (and usuallyterrorism)

Maladaptive diffusion: diffusion of a process with negative sideeffects or What works in one region may not in another.

Globalization: the development of worldwide patterns of cultural,

political, and economic relationships (fueled by: diffusion,acculturation, assimilation)

Cultural Ecology: the geographic study of human environmentalrelationships

Sequent Occupancy: refers to such cultural succession and its

lasting imprint (Derwent Whittlesey)


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Something to remember:

Language and religion are two of the most

powerful forces shaping the geography of

culture. As much as language and religion can

serve to unify and conserve a culture, when

differences between cultures (or even within a

culture) surface, the result is often

devastatingly destructive conflict.


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Sources of Conflict

Interfaith boundaries: the boundaries between theworlds major faiths.

Many countries that lie on or near interfaith

boundaries are subject to a greater potential for

conflict caused by any religious difference that

arises.

such as.


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Nigeria

Remember, Nigeria is a polyglot state, it alsohappens to lie on an interfaith boundary. The northis Muslim(Hausa-Fulani) and the south is Christianand Animist (Yoruba, Ibo).

The north is calling for an Islamic Republic andpres. has permitted admittance into ICO

Fundamentalism is increasing consequences?

Cultural significance OPEC producer #4

Loss of a model of cooperation = far-reachingimplications


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Sudan Muslim north and Christian south interfaith

boundary 60% of total pop live in north and are non-Arab

Muslim

Long-standing ethnic and religion-based civil warvery, very brutal.

Government imposed sharia law destroyingpotential for compromise or easy solutions. Result:

Refugees

Genocide

Regional political tension and conflict


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janjaweed


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Sudanese refugees in Chad


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The Horn of Africa Ethiopias complicated spot on the interfaith

boundary line has resulted in revolution in the1990s. As a result, Muslim Somalia and Eritrea

were created.

Somalia is a governmentless no-mans land. (thinkwild west, only with landmines, assult riffles, and

RPGs and starvation is used as a weapon)


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Coptic Christianity (Ethiopian Highlands)


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Downtown Mogadishu


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South Asia

The end of WWII marked the end of British colonial

rule in the subcontinent. That opportunity forpolitical independence created another problem:

There is an interfaith boundary cutting through thevast region which became a political boundarycreating Pakistan. The creation of an IslamicPakistan (and Bangladesh) produced one of thegreatest mass migrations in modern times as

Hindus moved out of the newly-created Pakistanand Muslims moved out ofIndia toward the newIslamic states. Ever since, fighting has been ongoingover land and resource ownership disputes.


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S. Asia, Points of Tension:

Contested territories: Jammu and Kashmir (mixed

population of Hindus and Muslims) Sikh demand for an independent state (Khalistan) in

the Punjab (N.W. India) became violent in the 80s

and continues. Shrine at Ayodhya (sacred to both Hindus and

Muslims) became (and still is) a battleground

Save Hinduism marches produce a Hindumilitancythat hasnt been seen in centuries (Hindu

Fundamentalism)


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Kashmir


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Kashmir


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Former USSR The creation of the Soviet Union brought under one

flag hundreds of regional ethnic groups, many ofwhich participated in the revolution.

Even under the Czar, the empire was fracturedreligiously with E. Orthodox in the west and Islam in

the steppes of the east and south. As the Soviet Union gathered territories in the

Caucasus region (Armenia and Azerbaijan) and in

the stan region of central Asia, they controlledsome VERY strongly religious groups.

Communist ideology supported no religion, in fact,they were attempting to create an atheistic state

and took measures to do just that.

C ll f th USSR


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Collapse of the USSR

The collapse in 1989 meant that the individual republics

would become independent states, which many thought

would be wonderful it turned out to be really really hard

work. Heres why:

The soviets had created regional state governments that

crossed over ethnic and religious lines (intentionally) andencouraged (sometimes forced) people to move into

another territory creating enclaves. When the Union

collapsed, so did the power authority. It led to almost

instant fighting.

As soviet control lifted, so did bans on religion. All sides

went back to their religious traditions which also led to,

and continues to lead to fighting.


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E. OrthodoxSt. Basils Cathedral


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Islam: Former USSR

Central Asia


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The Balkans: Former Yugoslavia The former Ottoman Empire brought Islam to the region

and theres been large pockets of Muslims ever since,creating many Interfaith boundaries around Bosnia

(Sarajevo), Kosovo (in Serbia) and in Macedonia.

Furthermore, there was also an intrafaith boundary

between the Serbian Orthodox and the Catholic churches

with Muslims caught in the middle.

When Yugoslavia fell apart, the region descended into

violent clashes fueled by ethno-national territorialaspirations. BUT, in order to make your own ethnic

country, youve got to get rid of anyone who arent part of

your ethnic group the term ethnic cleansing is born.


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Sri Lanka The large island has been predominately Buddhist for

centuries, however, recently a growing population of Tamil-

speaking Hindus have developed in the north and n.east. Since 1984 this group, led by a force called the Tamil

Tigers have fought a war of secession and its gotten veryviolent.

Buddhist shrines were targeted and Hindu sites wereattacked in retaliation.

When India tried to negotiate peace (supporting theBuddhist gov.) Indian P.M. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated.

In 2002 there were peace negotiations resulting in truce. The peace didnt last and by 2008 the 25 yr old civil warmoved into it next phase with an all-out assult on theHindu North by the Sri Lankan government forces. TheTamil Tigers were nearly decimated. Theyre rebounding!


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Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (S.W. Asia)

After WWI (1919) the newly-created League of

Nations (the 1st

UN) gave control of the formerOttoman Empire (loser) to the British (winner).

The Jews of Europe sided with the Brits during thewar. With British control of the holyland, the Jews

were in a position to ask for a huge favor thecreation ofPalestine, a national homeland for theJews (zionism). The League of Nations agreed.

As European Jews streamed into Palestine, thefighting erupted almost immediately. The EthnicPalestinians had been waiting for centuries to shakeoff Ottoman rule so that THEY could have their own

state and now it was filling with European Jews.


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UN Partition Plan &

war for independence

1967 Six-Days War Jewish Settlements

in disputed territory

Just before the

post-war influx


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After WWII (and the Holocaust) many more Jews floodedinto the region. In the postwar negotiations, the UN votedto partition the region into two states, Israel and Palestineone for each.

The surrounding Arab states responded with violence andattacked The Jewish state survived and even gainedterritory. (Israeli Independence) Palestinians flee into Arabborders and set up Refugee camps in Gaza Strip and

W.Bank 1967 Six-Days War Israeli preemptive strike, they take:

Sinai Pen., Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, W.Bank. Refugeecamps fall to Israeli control: tensions rise.

Liberation/terrorist organizations have developed in anattempt to oust Israeli control: PLO, Hamas, Hezbolah

Israeli gov. has permitted the building ofJewish settlementsin the disputed territories taken in 1967, which has led tofurther violence.

N E d i Si h


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No End in Sight

Despite numerous peace negotiations (that fail due

to renig, assassination, or violence), the conflictcontinues. Key terms:

PLO, Yassir Arafat

Resolution #242 (Land for Peace)

Camp David Accords

Intifada (1&2)

Jewish settlements

checkpoint

Palestinian Authority

Hamas & Hezbolah


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The development of Israel in Palestine has ledto the creation of the most hotly contestedand most violent interfaith boundary on the

planet. This place is the hearth of three of theworlds most influential faiths each fightingfor control of a land that, in their mind, wasgiven to them by their God.

solutions for this complex problem areincredibly difficult to find.


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Intrafaith Boundaries

As you have already learned, religions often

(over time) fracture into separate branches,

denominations, or sects. When these groups

occupy territory adjacent to one another, itcreates an intrafaith boundary.

here are a few:


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Northern Ireland For centuries Britain tried to occupy, and otherwise

acculturate Ireland especially religiously. Duringthat colonial period many British Protestantsimmigrated into the Catholic island. The Irishresisted but there wasnt much they could do about

it. In 1922 British colonialism in Ireland ceased then

the trouble began. There remained a 2/3

Protestant majority in N. Ireland who leveragedregional control politically and economically overthe Catholic minority this didnt sit well with therest of Ireland. Acts of terrorism against Protestant

targets began and have escalated ever since.

The Irish Republican Army (IRA)


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The Irish Republican Army (IRA)

The Islamic Realm


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The Islamic RealmThe Sunni-Shiite Split:

The Conflict:


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The Conflict:

Even though theyre only 12% of the total Muslim

population, Shiite Muslims are VERY militant in theirbeliefs. They proclaim to be the TRUE followers of

Muhammad and see the Sunni as blasphemers. The

mix is a violent one: The Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s

Post Persian Gulf War in southern Iraq

Lebanon shirmishes Violence during the hajj to Mecca

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