HISTORY AND THEORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, pages: 23 - 34, 2016

Rethinking the Religion Factor in International Relations

Abstract: Ever since Westphalia, after decades of hegemony of certain actors, after twists and turns of paradigms in domestic and foreign policies it is still not easy to draw clear lines between established and contending actors, social and religious divides, or essential ellements in domestic affairs that can trigger changes in the international affairs. It is though a fact that the global reemergence of religion has happened and religion – moving closer to the centerstage of international relations – has created new vantage points for the media and academia. Religion is becoming essential in defining both domestic and foreign policy given the challenges posed in the contemporary global(ised) world. The states have remained sovereign in view of the domestic turmoils and migration waves, but scholars, politicians and practitioners of politics and International Relations can neither deny nor shake the effect that religion and religious movements (!) have in the international system. Do we have a sufficient basis to rebuilt theories of International Relations? This research attempts to display assumptions on the role of religion in International Relations.