Has Religion Become the Most Influential Factor in International Relations?

January 25, 2017
12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. EST
Location: Intercultural Center (ICC) ACMCU Boardroom (ICC 270) Map

In the last two decades, the role of religion in international affairs has become more prominent, and has attracted the academy’s and public's attention. However, many questions regarding how and why religion influences international relations remain unanswered. Is religion a motivation for action by state and non-state actors or merely a justification? Which actors are more influenced by religion? In what ways does religion influence international relations?

In her latest book God on Our Side: Religion in International Affairs, Dr. Shireen Hunter looked into these questions and tried to explain why and how religion affects international relations. By using three case studies—Russia’s policy towards the Bosnian War, Turkey’s policy towards the Bosnian War, and the European Union’s policy towards Turkey’s membership in the EU—Hunter demonstrated how, why, when, and through what channels religion most influences international relations.

This event was hosted by the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs.

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About Shireen Hunter

Shireen Hunter is a research professor at Georgetown's Walsh School of Foreign Service and affiliated with the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU). From 2007 to 2014 she was an ACMCU visiting professor, having been a visiting scholar from 2005 to 2007 working on a project on reformist Islam funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. She previously directed the Islam Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, with which she had been affiliated since 1983. She has also held appointments at the Harvard Center for International Affairs and Brookings Institution. From 1965 to 1979 she was with the Iranian foreign service, serving in London, Geneva, and Tehran. Among her numerous publications are God On Our Side: Religion and International Affairs (2016), Iran Divided: The Historical Roots of Iranian Debates on Identity, Culture and Governance in the 21st Century (2014), and Reformist Voices of Islam: Mediating Islam and Modernity (2008).

Shireen Hunter's Profile