Religion and Conflict
Understand and analyse the role of religion in conflicts and peacebuilding in present-day societies, with this free online course.
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What You'll Learn in This Course
Master key concepts and practical skills through structured learning modules. By completing this curriculum, you'll gain valuable expertise applicable to real-world scenarios.
Learning Outcome 1
Many conflicts in the world today are framed in terms of religion, but there is much discussion and confusion concerning the precise role religion plays in these conflicts. According to some, conflict and violence are inherent to religion. Others claim that religion is only the guise under which social, economic or political conflicts are fought out. The first step to solving religiously framed conflicts is understanding the role of religion in them, and that is what this free online course is about.
Learning Outcome 2
Our point of departure is that religion means different things in different circumstances and to different (groups of) people. Therefore, the aim of this course is to show how a religiously framed conflict can be studied in the wider cultural and political contexts of these conflicts. In the course material, we will refer to various religious, cultural and political settings. In addition, we invite you to engage in some modest research activities in your own environment and compare your own findings with those of fellow students.
Learning Outcome 3
In the first two weeks, we will discuss how the concepts of religion, conflict and violence have been understood historically and cross-culturally, and address the question of how they are linked. This will enable you to move beyond thinking about religion as either an unavoidable cause for conflicts or merely an excuse to mask more mundane conflicts of interest.
Learning Outcome 4
The third week focuses on the question of why religious conflicts have appeared to increase in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. During the fourth week, we will analyze case studies like conflicts over abortion policies in the United States and the rise of IS in the Middle East. In week five, we will shift our attention to the role of religion in peace building and reconciliation.
Learning Outcome 5
The course concludes with an assignment in which you will apply your newly acquired analytical tools to write a briefing paper on the role of religion in a specific conflict situation of your own choice.
Skills You'll Develop
This comprehensive Religion and Conflict curriculum is designed to take you from foundational concepts to advanced implementation. Each module builds upon the previous, ensuring a structured learning path that maximizes knowledge retention and practical application.
Course Requirements & Target Audience
Understand what you need to succeed in this course and determine if it's the right fit for your learning goals
Prerequisites & Requirements
What you need before starting this Religion and Conflict course:
- Describe the historical development of definitions of religion
- Identify the various factors that contribute to religiously framed conflicts
- Assess present-day religiously framed conflicts in their historical, socio-cultural and political contexts
- Identify core texts in the study of religion and conflict
- Critical reading skills for analysing complex scholarly texts
Who This Course Is For
This course is perfect for:
- Motivated learners at any level
- Self-paced students
- Anyone interested in the subject
This course might not be suitable if:
- • You're looking for a quick tutorial rather than comprehensive learning
- • You prefer learning without structured curriculum
- • You need highly specialized or niche content
Course Information & Details
Everything you need to know about this online course, from duration to certification
Subject Category
Politics & Society, Crime and Criminology, Religion
Course Language
English
All materials in English
Start Your Learning Journey Today
This online course offers comprehensive training with expert instruction, practical exercises, and a certificate of completion. Join thousands of students advancing their careers through quality online education.
Course Enrollment
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What's Included
- Definitions and history of religion and conflict.
- Links between religion and conflict.
- Failure of nation states, the Cold War and globalisation.
- Cases on religion and conflict.
- Religion and peacebuilding.
Affiliate disclosure: course links are affiliate links; an enrolment through one may pay Getting Digital a commission from the provider, at no extra cost to the learner, and it does not influence how courses are described.
- ✓Instant access after enrollment
- ✓Learn at your own pace
- ✓Direct enrollment with University of Groningen
Where this course fits
Wider context: all fields, the glossary and certification exams.
Last updated 20 August 2025 · Getting Digital