Rethinking Religion's Place in World Politics - Interview with Professor Erin K. Wilson

Religion in Praxis Conversation Series

This is the sixteenth episode of the Religion in Praxis Conversations Series, in which we ask: "Is religion central or irrelevant, positive or negative in world politics today?" So much political commentary and analysis focuses on these issues. But these are the wrong questions to be asking, argues Erin K. Wilson. Designed for practitioners, policymakers, and newcomers to the topic of religion and global politics, the book Religion and World Politics Connecting Theory with Practice provides a short, accessible, and practical introduction to how we can understand the place of religion in world politics in a more comprehensive, contextually relevant way. For free download of the book, use the following link.

In this conversation, Erin presents a critical, intersectional framework for analysing religion and applies this to case studies of three core areas of international relations (IR) analysis: (1) conflict, violence, and security; (2) development and humanitarianism; and (3) human rights, law, and public life. These cases highlight how assumptions about what religion is and does affect policymakers, theorists, and activists. Erin demonstrates the damage that has been done through policies and programmes based on unquestioned assumptions and the possibilities and insights to be gained by incorporating the critical study of religion into research, policymaking, and practice.

This episode, and the book, will be of great interest to students of global politics, IR, religion, and security studies, as well as diplomats, civil servants, policymakers, journalists, and civil society practitioners. It will also benefit IR scholars interested in developing their research to include religion, as well as scholars of religion from disciplines outside IR interested in a deeper understanding of religion and world politics.

Erin K. Wilson is thankful to John Esposito's co-author Derya Iner as well as Iselin Frydelund and Susan Hayward.

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Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli.

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Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.