This book is a major contribution to the scholarly conversation on a topical issue of our time, religion, conflict and violence. A fascinating and splendid collection of interdisciplinary essays, the volume presents a variety of ideas, theoretical, historical, and sociological analysis in local, regional and national, and global contexts where religious conflict strives. A rich source of information for understanding the complexity of this phenomenon and providing meaningful insights on how best to curtail it, the volume is an invaluable text for scholars and ordinary citizens alike.

Jacob K. Olupona, Harvard University

This is a timely collection of essays that offers a novel insight into the role of religion in conflict situations. Bringing together global and local perspectives in one volume highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to the intricate connection between religion and conflict. The volume provides a holistic explanatory framework that is both subtle and comprehensive. It is written in an accessible manner, suitable for a wider readership, and a helpful tool for students across disciplines.

Gerrie ter Haar, Erasmus University Rotterdam

Religious conflict is one of the defining political and social issues of our time operating on a global scale and in the intimacy of local neighborhoods. In a series of case studies, Fighting in God’s Name explores this range, analyzing why the turn to violence has come about and the modes of dispute resolution communities are developing to combat it. It is an important intervention in an expanding field.

Brian Larkin, Columbia University

Anecdotal association of religion with conflict can obscure the shifting ways in which both dynamically intersect; depending on the historical or cultural moment, religious agents and ideas can trigger a conflict, extend its duration, or facilitate its rapid resolution. Drawing on models, situations, and perspectives from Africa and other parts of the world, the insightful essays in this interdisciplinary collection offer a timely and critical lens into the mutual imbrication of religion and conflict. In the process, they explode some of the myths that have recently coalesced around the interaction of both. Fighting in God’s Name is a vital and welcome addition to the literature on a subject of increasing importance.

Ebenezer Obadare, University of Kansas

Fighting in God’s Name: Religion and Conflict in Local-Global Perspectives challenges the prevailing twentieth century understanding of human society and its accoutrements. The editors have brought together interdisciplinary scholarship that reflect the complexities of the global age. The shift in emphasis from the general to the specific has enabled the authors to infuse fresh viewpoints into everyday narratives, which critiqued certain underlying assumptions that had ruled the roost for decades. Scholars of the future will forever be indebted to the editors and authors of this critical work that has contributed to a contemporary understanding of discourses on religion, conflict, terrorism, conflict resolution and gender issues. Scholars and researchers in the humanities and the social sciences will find this enormously analytical and interpretive work an invaluable reference source.

Olutayo C. Adesina, University of Ibadan

This book should be read by anyone, especially policy-makers, seeking to de-escalate conflict. It offers what we need—calm, critical, and constructive challenges to neoliberal security-focused approaches to religious unrest. It is exceptional for casting a wide net to include Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and indigenous religions. The results are rich theoretical insights informed by case studies that highlight the important roles of non-state actors—faith leaders and organizations, women intermediaries, and lay ritualists—who foster peace in troubled times.

Shobana Shankar, Stony Brook University