Using Relations Analysis to Ask (and Answer) New Questions about Religious Conflict

The Centre for the Study of Subversion, Unconventional Interventions and Terrorism (SUIT) is delighted to welcome Dr Peter Henne (University of Vermont) to deliver a talk on how relational approaches can help us ask different questions about existing empirical questions. Dr Henne applies this to the study of religion and conflict through a working paper, co-authored with Dr Jason Klocek (University of Nottingham) on religious repression and conflict, and Henne’s forthcoming book on religious appeals in power politics.

 Abstract

 The study of religion and international relations (IR) has made great progress, demonstrating the importance of religion in most areas of world politics. Yet, it has run into several persistent obstacles that conventional neo-positivist approaches have struggled to overcome. In this talk, Peter Henne argues a relational approach, however—drawing on the application of network analysis to international relations—can help. He presents the results of two works in progress using network analysis to study post-Arab Spring political Islam and religious repression’s impact on terrorism. These demonstrate the ability of network analysis to move religion and IR forward by drawing on the strengths of a relational approach.

All are welcome to attend.