Religious Authorities and Practices of Conflict Resolution

Religious diversity raises challenges that reverberate at multiple social and political levels. Religious institutions are sources of authoritative claims for believers. They play a crucial role in the articulation and negotiation of domestic conflicts within multicultural societies as well as at the international level. Religious Authorities and Practices of Conflict Resolution asks the following important questions: How is interfaith dialogue to be conceived and structured? Is such a dialogue even possible, if each religious group is entitled to claim decisive and exclusive authority?

The challenge is to explicate how religious authority is compatible with the principle of equal normative standing that is at the core of modern ethics and democracy, and capable of grounding shared action toward peace. This volume proposes that the challenge be addressed by taking a transdisciplinary approach, which appropriates resources and methods from different perspective philosophy, sociology, economics, and law. By integrating perspectives from philosophy, sociology, economics, and law, the book provides a holistic understanding of how religious authority can influence conflict resolution.

Carla Bagnoli is Professor of Theoretical Philosophy, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, currently on a three-year secondment at the National Academy Lincei, affiliated at the International Center Beniamino Segre where she is conducting a research project on global conflicts. She is also Professorial Fellow of Zentrum für Ethik und Philosophie in der Praxis LMU.

Vincenzo Pacillo is Professor of Law & Religion in the Department of Linguistic and Cultural Studies at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. He is the Director of ORFECT, an interdepartmental center for studies on freedom of religion and cultural pluralism.