Does Religion Cause Violence?

One of the most pressing issues of our time is the outbreak of extremist violence and terrorism done in the name of religion. This volume critically analyses the link made between religion and violence in contemporary theory and proposes that 'religion' does not have a special relation to violence in opposition to culture ideology or nationalism. Rather religion and violence must be understood with relation to fundamental anthropological and philosophical categories such as culture desire disaster and rivalry.<br/><br/><i>Does Religion Cause Violence?</i> explores contemporary instances of religious violence such as Islamist terrorism and radicalization in its various political economic religious military and technological dimensions as well as the legitimacy and efficacy of modern cultural mechanisms to contain violence such as nuclear deterrence. Including perspectives from experts in theology philosophy terrorism studies and Islamic studies this volume brings together the insights of René Girard the premier theorist of violence in the 20th century with the latest scholarship on religion and violence particularly exploring the nature of extremist violence.