chapter 7: religion copyright © 2012 john wiley & sons, inc. all rights reserved

Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 7: Religion

Question of the Day

Identify the symbol for its religion.

1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

• 1. The moon and star is now a symbol of Islam. Some Muslim countries have the moon on their flag. This symbol was first used in Turkey.

• 2. This is the Hindu symbol. It is called Om or Aum. This is the word for god.

• 3. One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum used in the Temple.

• 4. This is the Sikh symbol. It is called the Khanda. It is a circle and two swords. The circle means God is always there. The sword means Sikhs believe in truth and must help people in need.

• 5. This is a Buddhist symbol. The wheel shows the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation.

© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Field Note: Dying and Resurrection

“When I made my first trip to the Soviet Union in 1964, the world was divided into West and East in the Cold War. I was cataloging the unique cultural landscape in my mind as my group drove along a road from Leningrad to Moscow: I was looking for evidence of communism on the landscape. The rural areas were filled with state and collective farms. To me, the most interesting aspect of the landscape was the multitude of churches in ruins.”

Figure 7.1Vyshniyvolochek, Russia. A Russian Orthodox church lies in ruins in this small village in 1964.


• Explain Soviet relationship with religion


Key Question 7.1

What is religion, and what role does it play in culture?


Field Note

“Each religion approaches the disposition of the deceased in different ways, and cultural landscapes reflect religious traditions. In largely Christian, western regions, the deceased are buried in large, sometimes elaborate cemeteries.The Hindu faith requires cremation of the deceased. Wherever large Hindu communities exist outside of India, you will see crematoriums, the equivalent of a Hindu funeral home.”

Figure 7.2Mombasa, Kenya


Religious Diffusion

• expansion diffusion– contagious– hierarchical

• relocation diffusion


Cultural Landscape marked by…

• Houses of worship???• Presence or absence of ????• Modes of dress???• Personal habits???


• According to Stoddard and Prorak, religion is “A system of beliefs and practices that attempts to order life in terms of culturally perceived ultimate priorities should do or should behave).

• A method of constructing coherence and meaning in the world

• Religions set standards for how people “should” behave.

What Is Religion, and What Role Does It Play in Culture?

Role of Religion

• How has religion played a role in the development of human societies?– Combating social ills, sustaining the

poor, promoting the arts, educating the deprived, and advancing medical knowledge

– Blocked scientific study, encouraged the oppression of dissidents, supported colonialism and exploitation, and condemned women to an inferior status in many societies

disposition of the deceased - Each religion approaches the disposition of the deceased in different ways, and cultural landscapes reflect the religious traditions.

Hindu crematoriu

m in

Mombasa, Kenya

Christian, western regions bury dead in cemetaries.

Hindu faith requires cremation.

Antwerp, Belgium

Religion’s impact in

history and culture is

evident in its centrality in many places

Churches often built in the center of towns, reflecting their importance.


Religions manifests itself in many ways:• worship• prayer• rituals

• take place through regular intervals• birth, marriage, and death• attainment of adulthood

• secularism is the indifference to or rejection of religion.

What Is Religion, and What Role Does It Play in Culture?

secularism• 2009 survey – Is religion important in

your life?• More Developed Countries (MDCs)

– US – 57%– France – 13%– Sweden – 8%– Czech Republic – 7%

• Less Developed Countries (LDCs)– Senegal – 98%– Bangladesh – 97%– Brazil – 78%

• Europe or western society highly influenced by Christianity

• Identify characteristics about yourself that are influenced by religion– poverty– education– medicine– women– oppression


Describe how religion and language affect and change each other to shape cultures. Consider what happens to a society’s religion and language when a different religion or language diffuses to the place.


Key Question 7.2

Where did the major religions of the world originate, and how do religions diffuse?

http://www.edugen.com:30121/geodiscoveries/resources/ch32/print/religions_around/index.htm


• monotheistic religions: single god• polytheistic religions: many gods• animistic religions: inanimate objects

possess spirits

Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse?


History

• Most religions were animistic or polytheistic until about 3500 years ago– Zoroastrianism – first monotheistic faith – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam can be traced

to Zoroastrianism (some believe the Judaism is the first monotheistic faith)


History

• By 500 BCE, 4 major religious hearths existed– Greek along Mediterranean– Hinduism in South Asia– Judaism in eastern Mediterranean– Chinese philosophies – Huang He/Yellow

River valley (China)

Hearths of Religion and Philosophy by 500 BCE


major types of religion:• universalizing religions:

• actively seek converts• believe that they offer universal

appropriateness and appeal• Christianity, Islam, Buddhism

• ethnic religions:• adherents are born into the faith• do not actively seek converts• spatially located, Judaism the exception



Are there any problems with the previous map?

• South Asia?• Sub-Saharan Africa?

– Cameroon• France


Hinduism• one of oldest religions; over 4000 years • originated in the Indus River Valley• Ganges (sacred river) • ancient practices include ritual bathing

and reincarnation• polytheistic


From the Hearth of South Asia

Hinduism

• Common account holds that Hinduism originated from practices of ancient cities of Mojenjo Daro and Harappa (Indus River valley in Pakistan).

• ethnic religion do not actively seek converts– spread around world by British colonialism but

you only see pockets of Hinduism rather than regions

• Hindus define their religion as monotheistic – universal soul is Brahman (main god) and all

other gods are various expressions of Brahman– most consider it polytheistic

Hindu Caste System

Pariah

Top Caste

Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Brahma(Creator)

Vishnu(Preserver)

Shiva(Destroyer)

Three aspects of the divine

Reincarnation – all beings have souls and are

arranged in a hierarchy; goal is to move upward to a

point of union w. the universal soul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation

http://dericbownds.net/uploaded_images/reincarnation.gif

“Sacred Cow”

Devout Hindus are vegetarian.

Hindu Temple –Angkor Wat, Cambodia. This temple suffers from neglect and destruction now, as Buddhism has supplanted Hinduism in most of Cambodia.

From the Hearth of South Asia

• Buddhism –splintered from Hinduism 2500 years ago (@500 BCE). Originated in a region from Nepal south to the Ganges River area.

* anyone can achieve salvation, reach enlightenment

founder: Siddartha (the Buddha)sacred sites: stupas (contain sculptures of

Buddha)diffusion: most strongly into Tibet in the

north and into East Asia

**Enlightenment comes from self knowledge, elimination of greed, craving, and desire, complete honesty, and never hurting another person or animal.

Buddhism• Estimated 347 million adherents to Buddhism• Theraveda Buddhism a monastic faith that

holds salvation is a personal matter, achieved through good and religious activities, including periods of service as a monk or nun– Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos

• Mahayana Buddhism holds that salvation can be aided by appeals to superhuman, holy sources of merit; do not serve as monks but practice meditation– Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and China

• Lamaism (Tibet) combines monastic Buddhism with worship of local demons and deities.

Buddhism

• S. Gautama–“Buddha”

• Enlightenment–Four Noble

Truths–Eightfold

Path

Buddhism

•ETHICS–Emphasis of Buddhism is ethical rather than theological.

Four Noble Truths (64)

1. Life is Suffering2. Cause of Suffering = Desire

for Pleasure and Material Gain

3. Renounce Desires if you want to stop suffering.

4. Follow the Eightfold Patha. Renounce Desiresb. Attain Nirvana

The Eightfold Path (64)

1. RIGHT Views2. RIGHT Intentions3. RIGHT Speech4. RIGHT Action5. RIGHT Living6. RIGHT Effort7. RIGHT Mindfulness8. RIGHT Concentration

Nirvana

http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2007-03/the-way-to-nirvana.jpg

The Spread of Buddhism

http://www.chinapage.org/map/map_buddhism.jpg


Field Note

“Built about 800 CE when Buddhism was diffusing throughout Southeast Asia, Borobudur was abandoned and neglected after the arrivals of Islam and Christianity and lay overgrown until uncovered and restored under Dutch colonial rule from 1907 to 1911. The monument consists of a set of intricately carved, walled terraces; the upper terraces are open. In the upper terraces stand six dozen stupas, each containing a sculpture of the Buddha in meditation, visible when you peer through the openings.”

Figure 7.9Borobudur, Indonesia

Shintoism

Shintoism• Japan• focused on nature and

ancestor worship• many Japanese

practice both Shintoism and Buddhism

Shinto ShrineIn Kyoto, Japan, this Shinto shrine is visible after walking through a torii – a gateway usually formed by two wooden posts and topped by two horizontal beams.

From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow) River Valley

• Taoism –originated in China more than 2500 years ago (@500 BCE)

* oneness of humanity and naturefounder: Lao-Tsusacred text: “Book of the Way” (Tao Te

Ching)social manifestation: Feng Shui - the art and

science of organizing living spaces in order to channel life forces that exist in nature in favorable ways.

diffusion: East Asia

Taoism

• Taoist virtues– simplicity– spontaneity– tenderness– tranquility– competition, possession, and even

pursuit of knowledge are to be avoided.• the best government is the least

government.

From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow) River Valley

• Confucianism – (blueprint for Chinese civilization)originated in China about 2500 years ago@500 BCE)

* real meaning of life lay in the present* service to one’s fellow humans should

supercede service to spirits.founder: Confucius (551 to 479 BCE)sacred text: “Confucian Classics” (Analects)* a collection of Confucius’ writings and

sayingsdiffusion: East Asia, Southeast Asia

Communist China’s effect on religion

• Examples of opposition to government’s anti-religion initiativesburial moundscremation and columbaria

From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean

• Judaism –originated in Southwest Asia about 4000 years ago.

* first major monotheistic religion, covenant between

God (one God) and Abraham (the chosen people)

sacred text: Torahfounder: Abrahamsacred sites: Jerusalem (Western Wall), land

betweenthe Mediterranean and the Jordan

Riversocial manifestation: Zionismdiffusion: into European cities during the

diaspora, into N. America during WWII, into

Israel overlast 50 years

Judaism

• Jews have a turbulent history.– Moses led from Egypt to Canaan, where a split

occurred, resulting in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

– Israel was wiped out immediately by conquering tribes but Judah survived until the Babylonians and Assyrians conquered them.

– Jews regrouped and took control of Jerusalem but were subsequently conquered by the Romans in 70 CE.

– diaspora scattered Jews across the globe. • Zionism (emerged as a response to persecution)

– Ideals are rooted in the belief that Jews should not be absorbed into other societies and should have a homeland located in and around Jerusalem

Judaism

• Reform- adjust practices to modern times– Reform Judaism is the most liberal expression of modern Judaism. In America,

Reform Judaism is organized under the Union for Reform Judaism (formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations), whose mission is "to create and sustain vibrant Jewish congregations wherever Reform Jews live."

– Today, Reform Jews affirm the central tenets of Judaism - God, Torah, and Israel - while acknowledging a great diversity in Reform Jewish beliefs and practices. Reform Jews are more inclusive than other Jewish movements: women may be rabbis, cantors, and synagogue presidents; interfaith families are accepted; and Reform Jews are "committed to the full participation of gays and lesbians in synagogue life as well as society at large."

• Orthodox- return to traditional ways– Orthodox Jews believe the entire Torah - including "Written," the the Pentateuch,

and "Oral," the Talmud) was given to Moses by God at Sinai and remains authoritative for modern life in its entirety. (religionfacts.com)

– has held fast to such practices as daily worship, dietary laws (kashruth), traditional prayers and ceremonies, regular and intensive study of the Torah, and separation of men and women in the synagogue. It also enjoins strict observance of the sabbath and religious festivals and does not permit instrumental music during communal services (religionfacts.com)

Judaism

• Conservative- in between Reform and Orthodox– Conservative Judaism (known as Masorti Judaism outside the USA) is a

moderate sect that seeks to avoid the extremes of Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Conservative Jews wish to conserve the traditional elements of Judaism while also allowing for reasonable modernization and rabbinical development.

– Conservative Jews observe the Sabbath and dietary laws, although some modifications have been made to the latter. As in Reform Judaism, women may be rabbis

– number of studies have shown that there is a large gap between what the Conservative movement teaches and what most of its laypeople have incorporated into their daily lives. Conservative Judaism holds that halakha (Jewish law) is normative, i.e. that it is something that Jewish people must strive to actually live by in their daily lives. This would include the laws of Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath); the laws of kashrut (keeping kosher); the practice of thrice daily prayer; observance of the Jewish holidays and life-cycle events. In practice, the majority of people who have come to join Conservative synagogues only follow all these laws rarely

• Sources- religionfacts.com

Judaism

• Hasidic Jews-– Hasidic (or Chasidic) Judaism arose in 12th-

century Germany as a movement emphasizing asceticism and mystical experience born out of love and humility before God.

– Hasidic Jews center on a leader called a rebbe or tzaddik, who may or may not be a rabbi. The rebbe is considered especially enlightened and close to God and is looked to for guidance in all aspects of life, from Torah interpretation to choosing a spouse to buying a home. A rebbe's advice is considered absolutely authoritative.

Western Wall, Jerusalem

Jewish neighborhoods in European Cities the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague, the Czech Republic


• Christianity –originated in Southwest Asia about 2000 years ago.

* monotheistic religion, follow teachings of Jesus to

achieve eternal lifesacred text: Biblefounder: Jesus (son of God)sacred sites: Bethlehem, Jerusalemsplit in the church:

* split into Eastern Orthodox and Roman

Catholic churches in 1054 * Protestant sect split off in 1400s and

1500sdiffusion: into Western Europe, and then

world wideduring colonialism and after.

Roman Catholic Church

• Claims the most adherents of all the Christian faiths

• Teaches the infallibility of the pope in interpreting Jesus’ teachings and in navigating the modern world

• Catholic church peaked in the Middle Ages when the Church controlled sources of knowledge and worked in conjunction with the monarchs

First Split in Christianity, 1054 CE Western Roman empire = Roman CatholicismEastern Roman empire = Eastern Orthodox

Second split in 1517 w. Martin Luther

• and those that protested some practices of the Catholic church = Protestants

• Protestants splintered into many groups: Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Church of Christ, etc.

Switzerlandconcentrations of Catholics and Protestants by canton and commune

The Orthodox World

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Eastern-orthodoxy-world-by-country.png

Dominate Religion Red More than 10% Orange

Roman Catholic Distribution

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Catholic_population.png/800px-Catholic_population.png

The Christian World

http://www.christianaggression.org/img/feature_stats.jpg


• Islam –originated on Arabian peninsula about 1500 years ago.

* monotheistic religion, revelations Muhammad

received from Allah, Five Pillars.sacred text: Qu’ranfounder: Muhammadsacred sites: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem

split in the church:* shortly after Muhammad’s death,

split into Sunni Muslims (great majority)Shi’ite Muslims (concentrated in Iran)

diffusion: across Arabian peninsula, across North

Africa, into Spain and also east into Southeast Asia

Five Pillars of Islam

• Profession of Faith– There is but one god Allah and

Mohammed is his prophet.• Prayer• Fasting during Ramadan• Almsgiving/Charity• Hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca

Split in Islam

• Two main branches:– Sunni (great majority)

• believed rightful heir to Mohammed’s caliphate (area of influence) was an unrelated candidate

• believe in the effectiveness of family and community in solving life’s problems

– Shi’ite (concentrated in Iran)• believed rightful heir was Ali, Mohammed’s son in law• 16th century- Iranian (Persian) ruling dynasty made Shi’ite

Islam the only legitimate faith of that empire• Imam is the sole source of true knowledge (Imams are Shi’ite

Muslim leaders whose appointments are regarded as sanctioned by Allah. (believed to be w/o sin and infallible)

The Diffusion of Islam

minaret (for call to prayer)stands on the Sabah State Mosque in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Diffusion of Islam into Europelarge mosque in Paris, France

http://www.britkid.org/images/world_maps/islam.gif

The Islamic World

Islam – dar al Islam (world of Islam)

• ; Dar al Garb; Dar al Kufr

dar al Islam


Indigenous and Shamanist

• Indigenous– Local in scope– Reverence for nature– Passed down through tribes

• Shamanism – community beliefs – follow the practices and teachings of the

shaman



Field Note: “Arriving at the foot of erosion-carved Uluru just before sunrise it is no surprise that this giant monolith, towering over the Australian desert, is a sacred place to local Aboriginal peoples. Throughout the day, the changing sun angle alters its colors until, toward sunset, it turns a fiery red that yields to a bright orange. At night it looms against the moonlit, starry sky, silent sentinel of the gods. Just two years before this, my first visit in 1987, the Australian government had returned ‘Ayers Rock’ (named by European settlers after a South Australian political leader) to Aboriginal ownership, and reclaimed its original name, Uluru. Visitors continued to be allowed to climb the 1100 feet (335m) to the top, from where the view over the desert is awesome.”

Figure 7.18Uluru, Australia


The Rise of Secularism • indifference to or rejection of organized

religious affiliations and idea• varies greatly from country to country

and within countries.• antireligious ideologies can contribute to

the decline of organized religions. • church membership figures do not

accurately reflect active participation.



Migration plays a large role in the diffusion of religions, both universalizing and ethnic. As Europe becomes more secular, migrants from outside of Europe continue to settle in the region. Imagine Europe 30 years from now. Predict where in Europe secularism will be the most prominent and where religious adherence will strengthen.


Key Question7.3

How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?


Sacred sites• Places or spaces people infuse with

religious meaning• Pilgrimage: Adherents voluntarily travel to

a religious site to pay respects or participate in a ritual at the site

Sacred Sites of Jerusalem• Sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims• Wailing Wall, Temple Mount, Dome of the

Rock

How Is Religion Seen in the Cultural Landscape?


GuestField Note

Ardmore, Ireland

“At St. Declan’s Holy Well in Ireland, I found a barbed wire fence substituting for the more traditional thorn tree as a place to hang scraps of clothing as offerings. This tradition, which died out long ago in most parts of Continental Europe, was one of many aspects of Irish pilgrimage that led me to speculate on ‘Galway-to-the-Ganges’ survival of very old religious customs on the extreme margins of an ancient Indo-European culture realm. My subsequent fieldwork focused on contemporary European pilgrimage, but my curiosity about the geographical extent of certain ancient pilgrimage themes lingered. While traveling in Asia, I found many similarities among sacred sites across religions. Each religion has formation stories, explanations of how particular sites, whether Buddhist monasteries or Irish wells, were recognized as sacred. Many of these stories have similar elements. And, in 1998, I traveled across Russia from the remote Kamchatka Peninsula to St. Petersburg. Imagine my surprise to find the tradition of hanging rag offerings on trees alive and well all the way across the Russian Far East and Siberia, at least as far as Olkon Island in Lake Baikal.”

Credit: Mary Lee Nolan, Oregon State University


Figure 7.21 Jerusalem, Israel. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is sacred to Christians who believe it is the site where Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Inside the church, a Christian worshipper lights a candle at Jesus Christ’s tomb. © Reuters/Corbis Images.

Sacred Sites of JerusalemJerusalem is sacred to three major

religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity

Judaism (Western Wall)Islam (Dome of the Rock)


Landscapes of Hinduism and Buddhism • Hinduism

• temples, shrines• holy animals, ritual bathing

• Buddhism • the Bodhi (enlightenment) tree • stupus: bell shaped structures that

protect burial mounds • pagoda

cremation in both Hinduism in Buddhism


Sacred Landscapes of Hinduism

Hinduism – pilgrimages follow prescribed routes, and rituals are followed by millions.

Varanasi, India on the Ganges River where Hindus perform morning rituals.

Sacred Landscapes of Buddhism

Swedogon Pagodo in Yangon, Myanmar

Eight hairs of the Buddha are preserved under the dome (chedi)

• Medieval Europe• Cathedral, church, or

monastery• Burial more commonly

practiced

Figure 7.25Bordeaux, France. Built beginning in 1472, St. Michael’s Tower rises over Bordeaux, France, marking the importance of the Catholic Church in Bordeaux’s history and culture. © H. J. de Blij.


Landscapes of Christianity


Sacred Landscapes of Christianity

Protestant Churches

This church in Singapore is a Church of England church in city surrounded by Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims

Religious Landscapes in the United States Zelinsky: Map identifying religious regions of

the United States New England: CatholicSouth: BaptistUpper Midwest: LutheranSouthwest: Spanish Catholic West, Midlands: no dominant denomination


Landscapes of Christianity


Figure 7.28 Major Religious Regions of the United States. A generalized map of the religious regions of the United States shows concentrations of the major religions. Adapted with permission from: W. Zelinsky, The Cultural Geography of the United States, rev. ed., Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1992, p. 96.


Protestant and Catholic Landscapes in the United

States

Scandinavian Lutheran Church (on left)

St. Mary’s Catholic

Church (on right)

• Alhambra Palace in Granada • Great Mosque of Cordoba, Spain • Prohibition against depicting the human

form• Led to calligraphy and geometric design

use• Hajj

• Pilgrimage to Mecca


Landscapes of Islam


Sacred Landscapes of Islam

Muslim mosques

Dome of this mosque in Isfahan, Iran demonstrates the importance of geometric art evident in Muslim architecture.

Figure 7.33Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims circle the holy Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Mecca during the hajj. © Amel Emric/AP/Wide World Photos.


Choose a pilgrimage site, such as Mecca, Vatican City, or the Western Wall, and describe how the act of pilgrimage (in some cases by millions) alters this place’s cultural landscape and environment.


Key Question 7.4What role does religion play in

political conflicts?


Conflicts along Religious Borders • interfaith boundaries: boundaries between

the world’s major faiths • Ex.: Christian-Muslim boundaries in

Africa • intrafaith boundaries: boundaries within a

single major faith • Ex.: Christian Protestants and Catholics,

Muslim Sunni and Shi’ite


What Role Does Religion Play in Political Conflicts?

Interfaith Boundary in Africa

Figure 7.36 The West Bank. Adapted with permission from: C. B. Williams and C. T. Elsworth, The NewYork Times, November 17, 1995, p. A6. © The New York Times.


Landscapes of SettlementsIsraelis have had a policy of building settlements for Jews in the Occupied Territories

Landscape of the Gaza Strip, 2005In 2005, the Israeli government pulled out of the Gaza Strip, burning down Jewish settlements and handing control over to Palestinians.

The West Bank

with the proposed

security wall, parts of which

the Israeli government has

already built.

Israel and Palestine• WWII, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, West Bank,

Hamas

Nigeria• Muslim North/Christian South

The Former Yugoslavia• Balkan Peninsula separates the Roman Catholic

Chruch and the Eastern Orthodox Church

Northern Ireland • Catholics and Protestants in the North



Figure 7.39Religious Affiliation in Northern Ireland. Areas of Catholic and Protestant majorities are scattered throughout Northern Ireland. Adapted with permission from: D. G. Pringle,One Island, Two Nations? Letchworth: ResearchStudies Press/Wiley, 1985, p. 21.


The Former Yugoslaviagenocide

ethnic cleansing


Religious Fundamentalism and Extremism

• religious fundamentalism• beliefs are nonnegotiable and uncompromising

• religious extremism• fundamentalism carried to the point of violence • fundamentalists can be extremists but this does

not mean that all fundamentalists (of any faith) are extremists


Islamic extremists and jihadan Islamic holy war against the West

Government Impact on ReligionThe Soviet

Union:- had an official

policy of atheism- discouraged

religious practice- seized church

bells, demolished churches, etc.

- tolerated Islamic practice among old but not young

- drew boundaries for political control that separated ethnic groups in small areas- Christian

Armenia & Shi’ite Muslim Azerbaijan

Armenia and AzerbaijanSoviet Union’s divide-and-diminish plan


Christianity • traditionalist Catholic Movement • Protestant fundamentalism

Judaism• Orthodox conservatives • extremist groups Kach and Kahane Chai

Islam • jihad: Taliban in Afghanistan

religious fundamentalism and extremism



Boal’s studies in Northern Ireland demonstrate that solving a religious conflict is typically not about theology; it is about identity. You are assigned the potentially Nobel Prize–winning task of “solving” the conflict either in Northern Ireland or in Israel and Palestine. Using Boal’s example, determine how you can alter activity spaces and change identities to create the conditions for long-lasting peace in this conflict zone.

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