The Routledge Handbook of Religion and Security

The Routledge Handbook of Religion and Security breaks new ground by exploring global security through the lens of religion and examining its role in both conflict and peace. While public concern about the influence of religion in modern violence has surged in recent years, there has been limited academic focus on the intersection of religion and security beyond historical contexts. This Handbook fills that gap, offering a comprehensive, interdisciplinary resource that aids both experts and non-specialists in understanding how religion contributes to, and helps resolve, security challenges.

Featuring contributions from leading thinkers, the Handbook is structured around three core questions: How does religion perceive security? How does security view religion? And what happens when these two interact in real-world scenarios? It provides analyses of how nine major world religions approach war and peace both theologically and practically, along with insights into how scholars and security practitioners across nine thematic areas have addressed—or overlooked—religion’s role in security. Additionally, the book includes five case studies—Nigeria, India, Israel, the former Yugoslavia, and Iraq—that vividly illustrate the religion-security nexus.

This Handbook is a valuable resource for students and scholars of religion, security studies, war and conflict, and international relations.

The authors of The Routledge Handbook of Religion and Security are experts in the field of religion and security:

• Chris Seiple is the President of the Institute for Global Engagement, a Washington, DC-based institution focused on promoting sustainable religious freedom worldwide through local partnerships. He is a frequent commentator and speaker on religion and security and co-authored International Religious Freedom Advocacy (2009) with H. Knox Thames and Amy Rowe.
• Dennis R. Hoover is the Vice President for Research and Publications at the Institute for Global Engagement and serves as the Editor of The Review of Faith & International Affairs. He co-edited Religion and Foreign Affairs: Essential Readings (2012) with Douglas Johnston.
• Pauletta Otis is a Professor of Security Studies at Marine Corps University in Quantico, VA. A prolific writer and speaker on religion and security, she has served on the Defense Intelligence Advisory Board and held various advisory roles within U.S. national security.