Religion, Violence, and Peace

April 18, 2018 | 2018 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement—a key component in the Northern Ireland Peace Process that brought together political actors from the United States, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Great Britain. Over the course of a day-long conference, speakers recounted the events that led to this historic agreement, as well as looked to the prospects and challenges for the future of Ireland. Congressman Bruce Morrison, who was vital in persuading President Clinton to support the drive for peace, opened the conference in conversation with author Penn Rhodeen. Scholars and practitioners explored the historical, social, political, religious, and cultural factors that affected Ireland’s past and may impact its future in a series of panels. Senator George Mitchell concluded the conference by reflecting on his role as President Clinton’s Special Envoy to Northern Ireland during the Good Friday Agreement negotiations.

April 18, 2018 | 2018 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement—a key component in the Northern Ireland Peace Process that brought together political actors from the United States, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Great Britain. Over the course of a day-long conference, speakers recounted the events that led to this historic agreement, as well as looked to the prospects and challenges for the future of Ireland. Congressman Bruce Morrison, who was vital in persuading President Clinton to support the drive for peace, opened the conference in conversation with author Penn Rhodeen. Scholars and practitioners explored the historical, social, political, religious, and cultural factors that affected Ireland’s past and may impact its future in a series of panels. Senator George Mitchell concluded the conference by reflecting on his role as President Clinton’s Special Envoy to Northern Ireland during the Good Friday Agreement negotiations.

April 18, 2018 | 2018 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement—a key component in the Northern Ireland Peace Process that brought together political actors from the United States, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Great Britain. Over the course of a day-long conference, speakers recounted the events that led to this historic agreement, as well as looked to the prospects and challenges for the future of Ireland. Congressman Bruce Morrison, who was vital in persuading President Clinton to support the drive for peace, opened the conference in conversation with author Penn Rhodeen. Scholars and practitioners explored the historical, social, political, religious, and cultural factors that affected Ireland’s past and may impact its future in a series of panels. Senator George Mitchell concluded the conference by reflecting on his role as President Clinton’s Special Envoy to Northern Ireland during the Good Friday Agreement negotiations.

April 18, 2018 | 2018 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement—a key component in the Northern Ireland Peace Process that brought together political actors from the United States, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Great Britain. Over the course of a day-long conference, speakers recounted the events that led to this historic agreement, as well as looked to the prospects and challenges for the future of Ireland. Congressman Bruce Morrison, who was vital in persuading President Clinton to support the drive for peace, opened the conference in conversation with author Penn Rhodeen. Scholars and practitioners explored the historical, social, political, religious, and cultural factors that affected Ireland’s past and may impact its future in a series of panels. Senator George Mitchell concluded the conference by reflecting on his role as President Clinton’s Special Envoy to Northern Ireland during the Good Friday Agreement negotiations.

March 14, 2018 | During much of its early independence years, the Sudanese government attempted to unite northern and southern Sudan under an Arab and Islamic framework. Southern Sudan—with its history of Christian mission work, attachment to Black Africanism, and political marginalization—resisted such measures. While race and religion are broadly identified as the two primary elements driving Sudan’s divisive history, Professor Chris Tounsel specifically examines Christian thought as a space where racial identities were crafted and politicized. In this talk, which includes material from his in-progress book manuscript, Tounsel will discuss the ways in which the south Sudanese infused spirituality into the language of racial resistance during the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972). More than understanding their struggle against the state as a racial conflict pitting Africans against Arabs, it was also understood as a spiritual contest between good and evil—a development that marked an important moment in south Sudanese political thought. This event is co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, the African Studies Program, and the Department of Theology's Graduate Studies Program.

February 15, 2018 | For years, religious pluralism and its accompanying stability have been in decline in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. But the depredations of ISIS have endangered the very existence of Christianity and other religious minorities who are necessary for the survival of pluralism and stability. At this event, Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar Warda, who has been on the front lines of the ISIS war in Iraq, will address the daunting challenges faced by Christians, Yazidis, Kakai, and Muslims. He will address his work to advocate for and protect Christians and other minorities under siege. He will also discuss the work of the Catholic University of Erbil, which he founded in 2015 as a staging ground to defend pluralism and a multireligious future for Iraq. This event is part of the Berkley Center's Religious Freedom Research Project.

February 27, 2017 | Nearly two decades after 9/11, there is widespread agreement that religion plays a part in international affairs; however, the specific role that it should play is still very much open to debate. At this event, scholars of religion and of international relations explored ways religious studies can be relevant to international policymaking. They discussed how the convergence of their work can add more historical and cultural nuances to the international affairs community’s ongoing critique of secularism. Scholars also discussed how their work can bring a more complex understanding of religion when it comes to religious freedom and religiously based political violence, and how it may shed new light on religion’s intersection with governance and democracy.

In the wake of the tragic events in Charlottesville on August 11 and 12, the country is confronted with difficult questions about how and why racial and religious divides have so publicly resurfaced, and how we move forward. Counterprotesters, including activists, students, professors, and religious leaders, are trying to make sense of what happened and find ways to combat the prejudices the world saw on display in Virginia. Religious communities, in particular, played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement and many other social justice movements in American history. They now must reassess their role as moral leaders and bridge builders in responding to racial and religious discrimination in a movement with multiple actors and concerns—reckoning with the historical roots of white supremacy that persist in society to this day. Panelists addressed key questions such as: How are religious communities addressing racial justice issues, including examining their own histories of racial injustice in light of current events? How can religious leaders and communities effectively fight injustice? What role does the university, in particular, play in countering unjust racist and discriminatory/exclusionary narratives? How can members of the campus community best serve as allies and sustain movements?

April 26, 2010 | If a peace settlement is to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, religious leaders will have to play a vitally important role. Since the mid-1990s, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders have been working to build trust within and across their communities in the region—mainly outside the media spotlight. Rev. Dr. Trond Bakkevig of the Church of Norway has been central to those efforts. Since 2005, he has convened the Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land, which includes the most important religious institutions in Israel and the Palestinian territories: the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the Meeting of the Heads of Church in the Holy Land, and Muslims appointed by the president of the Palestinian Authority. In his talk, Rev. Bakkevig discussed the accomplishments and prospects of the council and other efforts to foster religious dialogue and peace in the Holy Land.

February 26, 2015 | When there is great injustice, it is very tempting to think that righteous anger is the best response, and even a necessary response. On the other hand, it is noteworthy that the three most successful revolutionary freedom movements in the past century have been conducted in a spirit of non-anger (distinct from, though sometimes joined to, non-violence): Gandhi’s independence movement; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s role in the US civil rights movement; and Nelson Mandela’s freedom movement in South Africa. In this year's Berkley Center Lecture, the University of Chicago's Martha C. Nussbaum provided a philosophical analysis of the emotion of anger and, through studying the thought and practice of Gandhi, King, and Mandela, she argued that non-anger is both normatively and practically superior to anger.

November 2, 2012 | Why do many US residents, Catholics and Catholic leaders among them, too often fall short of adequately challenging the use of violence in US policy? Even when community organizers, policymakers, members of Catholic leadership, and academics sincerely search for alternatives to violence, they too often think about nonviolence as primarily a rule or strategy. Catholic Social Teaching has been moving toward transcending the limits of these approaches, but it still has significant room for growth. In order to contribute to this growth and to impact US policy, McCarthy draws on Jesus, Gandhi, Ghaffar Khan, and King to offer a virtue-based approach to nonviolent peacemaking with a corresponding set of core practices. This approach is also set in conversation with aspects of human rights discourse to increase its possible impact on US policy. Eli McCarthy, author of Becoming Nonviolent Peacemakers: A Virtue Ethic for Catholic Social Teaching and US Policy, joined us to disc

October 27, 2016 | The recent referendum in Colombia has generated uncertainty about the prospects for a lasting peace in the country. Colombia's ambassador to the United States, Juan Carlos Pinzón, who served as defense minister for four years, provided his unique perspective on the political and economic opportunities and challenges facing the country at this critical juncture in its history. Professor Matthew Carnes, the director of the Center for Latin American Studies in the School of Foreign Service, moderated the conversation.

June 22, 2016 In today’s world, we have witnessed increased conflicts not only between states but also devastatingly within states. Religious beliefs are frequently cited to justify violence and acts of terrorism, contributing to a recurrent debate: is religion in fact the main cause of these conflicts? Some would argue yes. On the other hand, some would argue that religion is all the more essential and relevant in guiding followers towards conflict resolution and lasting peace. Theravada Buddhist monks Ajahn Pasanno Bhikku and Ajahn Jayanto Bhikku shared their unique perspectives on the notions of peace, mindfulness, compassion, and tolerance in Buddhism through the eyes of Western-born monks. Ambassador Pisan Manawapat offered introductory remarks, and Katherine Marshall, senior fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and executive director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue, served as moderator. This event was co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C.

April 21, 2016 | To many Americans, ISIS is a terrorist organization responsible for deadly plots in Paris and Brussels, for beheading Westerners, and for threatening America's security. The U.S. government has also recently declared the group a perpetrator of genocide. In the summer of 2014, ISIS committed genocide and crimes against humanity against ethnic and religious minorities in Ninewa province in Northern Iraq. The group forced more than 800,000 people from their homes and deliberately destroyed shrines, temples, and churches and kidnapped or killed hundreds, likely thousands, of people. ISIS decimated millennia-old communities, irrevocably tearing the social fabric of the once-diverse region. Distinguished experts in law and human rights discussed the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's latest Bearing Witness report on Iraq, which documented crimes against Yezidi, Christian, and other ethnic and religious populations in Northern Iraq. Panelists talked about the atrocities, analyzed current conditions in Iraq, and assessed future risks to civilians in the region. This event took place in the Newseum's Annenberg Theater, located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001. This event was co-sponsored by the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University, and the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute.

Today’s violent conflicts and extremism of many kinds center on women, too often as victims. And the work women do for peace and their agendas are often ignored. Greater understanding is needed among policymakers and scholars, especially as to how religious beliefs, practices, and institutions shape attitudes toward violence against women and toward women's peacebuilding roles. The Berkley Center's Katherine Marshall highlighted her journey to shine light on the often unseen women working for peace with religious inspiration, recounted in Women, Religion, and Peacebuilding: Illuminating the Unseen. Chicago Theological Seminary's Susan Thistlethwaite shared insights from her new book, Women's Bodies as Battlefield: Christian Theology and the Global War on Women, on how this “unseen work” must become both more visible and central in global movements to prevent and reduce global violence, especially violence against women. José Casanova served as a discussant.

Since 2012, communal violence in Bangladesh has spiked to levels not seen in over 30 years. The unrest threatens to derail the nation’s hard-won economic and human development progress. Much of the recent violence has occurred around elections, casting a harsh light on the country’s substantial democratic challenges. Though political tensions have often provided triggers for violence, the roots of conflict in Bangladesh run much deeper and in large part center on the place of religion in society and its role in the construction of national identities. The third Speakers’ Forum on Religion and Development in Bangladesh focused on the religious dimensions of conflict and examined the work of religious peacebuilders, incorporating perspectives and experiences from countries in the region that have faced similar challenges related to communal violence and religious intolerance.

November 12, 2009 Immigrant minority groups frequently face discrimination from their host societies on the basis of differences of national origin, race, culture, and religion. But religion can also provide identities, connections, resources and practices that can facilitate immigrants' adaptations and integration into new contexts. To improve understandings of religion in the day-to-day lives of international migrants, the SSRC Project on the Religious Lives of Migrant Minorities investigated the roles of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism for immigrants settled in Malaysia, South Africa, and Great Britain. The conference offered preliminary comparative findings from the research. This event was cosponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, the Institute for the Study of International Migration, and the Social Science Research Council.

The King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) is engaged in an ambitious peace mapping program that aims to contribute evidence-based research about interreligious dialogue activities worldwide, with a focus on peacebuilding. The peace mapping program, formally launched in September 2015, focuses on mapping organizations that are involved in interreligious dialogue activities with an international scope. The goals of the program include enhancing an understanding of the breadth of interreligious dialogue today and supporting networking and concrete collaborations. KAICIID's Jana Vobecka and Mohammed Abu-Nimer joined USIP's Susan Hayward to discuss the methodology behind the peace mapping project, as well explore ideas for practical applications. The Berkley Center's Katherine Marshall moderated the discussion.

November 18, 2014 What are the roles of religious beliefs and religious actors in the geopolitical conflicts that are shaking the world today? Andrew Bennett, Canada’s first Ambassador for Religious Freedom, offered reflections on the different ways religion is instrumentalized to advance geopolitical aims, including justifying extremism and employing religiously-oriented propaganda in conflicts. Ambassador Bennett recently returned from Ukraine, and he is closely involved in the dynamic of Iraq and Syria, both conflicts with strong religious dimensions. This event also explored the rise of extremism linked to religion and the policy options that relate to advancing religious freedom. The Berkley Center's Timothy Shah and José Casanova commented on the religious freedom agenda.

November 12, 2009 Immigrant minority groups frequently face discrimination from their host societies on the basis of differences of national origin, race, culture, and religion. But religion can also provide identities, connections, resources and practices that can facilitate immigrants' adaptations and integration into new contexts. To improve understandings of religion in the day-to-day lives of international migrants, the SSRC Project on the Religious Lives of Migrant Minorities investigated the roles of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism for immigrants settled in Malaysia, South Africa, and Great Britain. The conference offered preliminary comparative findings from the research. This event was cosponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, the Institute for the Study of International Migration, and the Social Science Research Council.

May 26, 2011 Civil society is an essential part of the proper functioning of the state, helping to initiate, promote, and strengthen comprehensive and objective dialogue between governments and their people. In this way, civil society fosters conflict resolution, advances human rights, and promotes better democratization processes. Because of its flexible, multidimensional, and non-rigid structure, civil society has the capability to adapt to rapid global changes. The purpose of this conference was to gain a better understanding of the role of civil society in the functioning of the state, as well as the advancement of democracy and universal human rights. The conference consisted of three panel discussions.

April 13-15, 2008 The Fifth Annual Conference of the Catholic Peacebuilding Network focused on the theology and ethics of peacebuilding as part of a review of past work and agenda-setting for the future. Breakout sessions covered a wide range of topics, including political reconstruction and reconciliation, interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding, peace education, the ethics of war and peacebuilding, and Catholic intermediaries and armed actors. The diverse yet complementary responsibilities of clergy and laymen were another common topic of discussion. The 275 participants ranged from academics to clergy active in conflict zones and came from 28 countries. The conference was also part of the final review process for an edited volume on the theology, ethics, and praxis of Catholic peacebuilding.

September 11, 2009 What is the role and responsibility of the media in a post 9/11 era? How can we protect ourselves from images that leave us feeling helpless, fearful and insecure? In his presentation, Simon Cohen, Managing Director of the London-based Global Tolerance, drew out the example of the "other 9/11:" September 11, 1906, when Gandhi first deployed his method of nonviolent resistance. By comparing both anniversaries and their legacies he explored the unparalleled power of the media to influence perceptions about faith in society, for better or worse. Globalization and the social communications revolution linked with Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube empower us all, in new ways, to discover and promote faith's positive potential to contribute to a more just, tolerant, intercultural, and interreligious world.

In his latest book, The Paradox of Liberation: Secular Revolutions and Religious Counterrevolutions, Michael Walzer asks why leaders and militants of secular liberation have not been able to consolidate their achievement and reproduce themselves in successive generations. On the backdrop of the Arab Awakening and the growth of religiously based political groups in secular countries like Tunisia, Turkey, and Pakistan, this question is more acute than ever. Based on her book The Awakening of the Muslim Democracy: Religion, Modernity and the State, Jocelyne Cesari engaged in a discussion with Michael Walzer and José Casanova to discuss the role of religion in nation-building and the nature of religious nationalism in the post-Cold War era. Casanova shared expert insight on the characteristics of the secular/religious divide in today's politics.

April 22, 2010 What is Jus Post Bellum? World-renowned political philosopher and author Michael Walzer explained some of the reasons why "post" was formally left out of, but still anticipated in, the classical just war theory, what obligations it included, and why it is now a central concern--even though we are less and less sure about when wars actually end. Co-sposored by the Masters in Conflict Resolution Program, the Program for Jewish Civilization, and the Berkley Center, this keynote address concluded a full-day conference on ethics and post-conflict entitled "Ending Wars Well: Just War Theory and Conflict's End."

January 10, 2007 In response to ongoing tensions between Islam and the West, then-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan constituted a High-level Group to promote the idea of an Alliance of Civilizations. Composed of twenty prominent leaders drawn from politics, academia, civil society, business, and media around the world, the High-level Group published a report in November 2006 refuting the Clash of Civilizations thesis and offering concrete recommendations for improving relations across cultural and religious divides. John Esposito, founding director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, is a member of the Group. He was joined on the panel by Shamil Idriss, acting director within the Alliance Secretariat, and Katherine Marshall, senior fellow in the Berkley Center and director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue.

Panel 2: How to Counter Global Religious Violence Religious-inspired violence and peacemaking are more robust today than ever. There has been a resurgence of religious claims and justifications in politics. At the same time we've seen the growth of faith-based humanitarian and peacemaking activities, from Pope Francis visiting Bethlehem and the Western Wall to the local church efforts to eradicate Ebola. What does this trend portend for the future and for governments, international organizations such as the United Nations, and religious institutions? Experts discussed international security, religiously inspired violence, and global governance as they explored how best to counter threats to world peace.

November 14, 2007 This one-day symposium looked at the phenomenon of martyrdom across the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. How has legitimate martyrdom been defined by the leaders of these three faith traditions and how have believers responded to it? What purpose does martyrdom serve? Are there particular circumstances that encourage people to sacrifice their lives for the sake of God? Panelists aimed to bring clarity to these issues by offering insights from the latest thinking on martyrdom. The first panel featured Elizabeth Castelli from Barnard College and University of Oklahoma's Shmuel Skepkaru, who discussed martyrdom in Judaism and Christianity. In the second panel, Georgetown's Paul Heck and David Cook from Rice University focused on the phenomenon of martyrdom in Islam.

November 14, 2007 This one-day symposium looked at the phenomenon of martyrdom across the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. How has legitimate martyrdom been defined by the leaders of these three faith traditions and how have believers responded to it? What purpose does martyrdom serve? Are there particular circumstances that encourage people to sacrifice their lives for the sake of God? Panelists aimed to bring clarity to these issues by offering insights from the latest thinking on martyrdom. The first panel featured Elizabeth Castelli from Barnard College and University of Oklahoma's Shmuel Skepkaru, who discussed martyrdom in Judaism and Christianity. In the second panel, Georgetown's Paul Heck and David Cook from Rice University focused on the phenomenon of martyrdom in Islam.

November 13-14, 2014 Love and forgiveness are universal values that seem to transcend race, culture, and nationality, making them a central part of what makes us human. Despite this fact, limited research exists on the role of love and forgiveness—and its practical application—in governance structures. This conference explored the role that the values of love and forgiveness can play in governance. Panels featured international practitioners, scholars, and exemplars, which also served as a platform to explore larger trends and patterns that allow for the practical application and integration of love and forgiveness in political processes, the justice system, and conflict afflicted situations.

October 11, 2005 In her lecture, Nancy Sherman explored questions about the motivation behind the choice to engage in war and combat. In the run-up to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, many Americans enlisted out of a sense of anger and revenge. But should a soldier fight with anger and war raging in his heart? The Stoics insisted that justice, not vengeance, should motivate combat. What does the Old Testament teach here? Anger is no stranger to the Hebrew Bible, both in the voice of God and humans. Sherman highlighted possible insights gleaned from comparing the Stoic tradition with Jewish texts.

February 12, 2015 Sexual violence is an issue affecting different genders, countries, and socio-economic classes; all faith communities have survivors and perpetrators. Faith leaders, communities, and organizations can help to provide support for survivors as well as work on prevention in the United States and globally. This round-table discussion brought together practitioners and scholars with different perspectives on this complex issue to initiate dialogue with participants, discussed engaging faith actors, and considered the underappreciated implications of sexual violence, domestic violence, and intimate partner violence for society.

Issues of religion and world affairs are as salient in the media today as in 2006 when the Berkley Center was founded. And unfortunately much of the news is still negative. Still, there is every reason for hope. The religious people who comprise about four-fifths of humanity overwhelmingly reject faith-inspired violence and identify with values of justice and peace. And religious institutions—communities of worship, schools, hospitals, and aid organizations of different kinds—take roles in world affairs that affirm the essential dignity of human beings and advance the common good. How can we better tap the positive currents within and across traditions to advance deeper interreligious understanding? And how should we think about—and act on—the changing relationship between religion, violence, and peace in today’s world? The Berkley Center Tenth Anniversary Symposium convened thought leaders and practitioners to address these crucial questions.

November 30, 2010 The relatively peaceful transition from apartheid to the beginning of democracy in 1994 was greeted around the world as the beginning of a new era in African politics. Professor Charles Villa-Vicencio, former national research director of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, offered an assessment of the positive momentum and the challenges facing his native South Africa sixteen years later. Assessing the tendency among some rulers of new democracies to resort to the authoritarian tendencies of the governments they have replaced, the question was asked as to what extent South Africa's current rulers have consolidated and advanced the gains introduced by the Mandela administration. Special attention was given to the current political divisions within the ANC government and the economic challenges facing the country.

Panel 1: Security, Religion, and Global Governance Religious-inspired violence and peacemaking are more robust today than ever. There has been a resurgence of religious claims and justifications in politics. At the same time we've seen the growth of faith-based humanitarian and peacemaking activities, from Pope Francis visiting Bethlehem and the Western Wall to the local church efforts to eradicate Ebola. What does this trend portend for the future and for governments, international organizations such as the United Nations, and religious institutions? Experts discussed international security, religiously inspired violence, and global governance as they explored how best to counter threats to world peace.

March 23, 2015 From violent non-state actors to failed states, the contemporary security environment challenges the norms associated with the law of armed conflict. How should governments respond ethically to these challenges? The Ashgate Companion on Military Ethics brings together over two dozen experts from around the world to consider the depth of these challenges. Four contributors to the book discussed the frontiers of military ethics in the twenty-first century: just war historian James Turner Johnson (Rutgers University); Eric Patterson (Berkley Center) on the ethics of post-conflict; Mary Manjikian (Regent University) on preemption; and intelligence and counter-terrorism expert Keith Pavlischek (USMC, ret.) on asymmetric warfare.

November 20, 2009 At this event Charles Villa-Vicencio discussed his recent book, "Walk with Us and Listen: Peace and Reconciliation in Africa." Dr. Villa-Vicencio addressed the need for more complementarity between the ICC and African mechanisms for justice and peace-building; questioned the obligation to prosecute those allegedly guilty of gross violations of human rights; and assessed the success of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Dr. Fathali M. Moghaddam joined the discussion to offer a response to the book. The talk was followed by a Q&A and light refreshments.

February 28, 2006 In his talk, Rev. Eugene Goussikindey, SJ, explored constructions of both politics and religion that might enable a convergence between both realms. If politics is viewed not simply as a struggle for advantage but also as a search for the common good, it must have peace as its object. And religion, while often exploited for violent and destructive ends, has peace as an underlying value. In Africa and elsewhere, leaders in both spheres must learn to appreciate the constraints and opportunities facing the other. Religious leaders are bound by tradition, for example, while politicians must make difficult choices that sacrifice some values at the expense of others. Without greater mutual appreciation and active cooperation between the religious and political spheres, prospects for peace are dim, particularly in the developing world.

April 22, 2010 How can war end well? President Obama's Nobel Prize speech argued, "There will be times when nations...will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified." But what comes next? Just War theory, which the President referenced, traditionally focused on the morality of the decision to go to war (jus ad bellum) and the ethics of how war was fought (jus in bello) not the nature of war's end and post-conflict. However, protracted conflicts like that in Afghanistan challenge both the president's foreign policy as well as the theoretical and prescriptive foundations of just war thinking. This Berkley Center conference examined critical questions for a twenty-first century application of Just War theory to war's end (jus post bellum) in three key areas: the theoretical underpinnings of jus post bellum, issues for settlements and post-conflict arrangements, and operational considerations for practitioners engaged in late- and post-conflict planning.

September 10, 2012 The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-95) was the most serious outbreaks of violence in Europe since World War II. The bloody conflict among ethnic Serbs, Croats, and Bosnian Muslims after the collapse of Yugoslavia left almost 100,000 dead and 2,000,000 displaced. Only the armed intervention of the United States and NATO brought the conflict to an end. Two decades later, what have we learned about the causes of the war and the challenges of reconciliation that followed? How have religious communities and civil society furthered the process of peacebuilding, and what obstacles remain? Several experts addressed these questions. The panel discussion coincided with the International Prayer for Peace, held in Sarajevo from September 9-11, 2012. The Prayer for Peace, organized by the Rome-based Community of Sant'Egidio, is the largest annual interfaith gathering in the world.

November 13-14, 2014 Love and forgiveness are universal values that seem to transcend race, culture, and nationality, making them a central part of what makes us human. Despite this fact, limited research exists on the role of love and forgiveness—and its practical application—in governance structures. This conference explored the role that the values of love and forgiveness can play in governance. Panels featured international practitioners, scholars, and exemplars, which also served as a platform to explore larger trends and patterns that allow for the practical application and integration of love and forgiveness in political processes, the justice system, and conflict afflicted situations.

November 16, 2012 The car bombing that killed Lebanese security chief Wissam al-Hasan last month has raised new concerns that Lebanon is being increasingly drawn into the Syrian civil war. Indeed, predictions that Lebanon would descend into sectarian violence as a result of the Syrian uprising have abounded since the beginning of that conflict. Yet, Lebanon—once a byword for religious civil war—has managed so far to avoid that catastrophic scenario. Irina Papkova, a Berkley Center research fellow now living in Beirut, addressed the current political situation in Lebanon and the threats and challenges facing its leaders in the shadow of the Syrian conflict.

March 14, 2007 On March 14, 2007, the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and the Program for Jewish Civilization cosponsored a presentation on the newly developed United States Institute of Peace study of Arab-Israeli peace negotiations since 1991. The presentation of this study featured the Co-Director of the United States Institute of Peace, Scott Lasensky. Discussants spoke about the need to increase understanding of both achievement and missed opportunities in past Arab-Israeli negotiations.

March 19, 2014 What are the moral responsibilities of international institutions and nations when leaders attack the lives and fundamental rights of their own people? What are the ethical obligations in the face of genocide or crimes against humanity? Is there a “responsibility to protect” vulnerable populations, especially refugees, women and children? Under what circumstances is “humanitarian intervention” permitted or required? Catholic social teaching has long addressed the morality of the use of military force. How do the traditional “just war” criteria apply to these cases? Several distinguished leaders at Georgetown addressed the moral dimensions and human consequences of these questions. They also explored the lessons of Bosnia, Rwanda, and Libya and discussed what should be done regarding Syria.

As conflict with Russia continues, a plan for long-term, lasting Ukrainian reconciliation must address an interrelated but dual dimension: the international reconciliation between Kiev and Moscow and the internal national reconciliation within Ukraine itself. While the war in Ukraine is largely regarded as the result of external military aggression, there are components of an internal division between competing national visions for the country. Bishop Borys Gudziak, leader of the Ukrainian Catholic community in France, reflected upon these struggles and competing interests, as well as offered his suggestions for a peaceful path forward. Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia introduced the event.

February 4, 2015 In Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor, and East Africa, military chaplains have stepped outside the wire to engage local religious leaders in the pursuit of peace, counseled military commanders on local cultural issues, and comforted the hurting—including among local populations. This event looked at military chaplains as agents for peace, particularly since 9/11, with the launch of Berkley Center research fellow Eric Patterson’s new book, Military Chaplains in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Beyond. Eric Patterson is former associate director of the Berkley Center and continues to work with the center’s Program on Religion, Conflict, and Peace as a research fellow. He serves as dean of the School of Government at Regent University and has 18 years of experience as an officer in the Air National Guard. Discussants included retired Army chaplain Eric Wester, Pauletta Otis (formerly Marine Corps University), and Chip Hauss (Alliance for Peacebuilding).

March 13, 2013 Drones are one of the most controversial weapons currently employed by the US military. Despite their precise targeting capabilities, they have been heavily criticized for enabling civilian casualties, and their legality has been questioned both domestically and abroad. Michael Walzer, an expert on just war theory and the ethical use of force, discussed the history of targeted killings and assassinations, including the moral arguments for and against these actions. He focused on how the invention of the drone changes these moral arguments and will raise critiques of a qualified defense of using drones—putting forward an invitation to worry. This event was sponsored by the Berkley Center, the Master of Science in Foreign Service Program, and the Mortara Center for International Studies.

April 22, 2010 How can war end well? President Obama's Nobel Prize speech argued, "There will be times when nations...will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified." But what comes next? Just War theory, which the President referenced, traditionally focused on the morality of the decision to go to war (jus ad bellum) and the ethics of how war was fought (jus in bello) not the nature of war's end and post-conflict. However, protracted conflicts like that in Afghanistan challenge both the president's foreign policy as well as the theoretical and prescriptive foundations of just war thinking. This Berkley Center conference examined critical questions for a twenty-first century application of Just War theory to war's end (jus post bellum) in three key areas: the theoretical underpinnings of jus post bellum, issues for settlements and post-conflict arrangements, and operational considerations for practitioners engaged in late- and post-conflict planning.

April 23, 2013 Human trafficking is one of the more complex and contentious social and political issues on today's global agendas. Both in the United States and abroad, its ethical challenges have engaged a wide range of faith actors, who bring energy, global networks, resources, and moral fervor to the movement. Cambodia, as a global hotspot for trafficking, offers a remarkable instance of how these issues present themselves in practice and how they are evolving over time. Active debates center on issues at the nexus of faith and development: global and national priorities, coordination of interventions and evaluation of results, the roles of evangelizing and proselytizing in a development or humanitarian context, and issues of gender justice. All are in play in Cambodia. Mark Lagon, Susan Martin, Jeremy Floyd, and Katherine Marshall will explore current efforts and initiatives in Cambodia and set them within the broader, global context of debates and partnerships around poverty.

November 13-14, 2014 Love and forgiveness are universal values that seem to transcend race, culture, and nationality, making them a central part of what makes us human. Despite this fact, limited research exists on the role of love and forgiveness—and its practical application—in governance structures. This conference explored the role that the values of love and forgiveness can play in governance. Panels featured international practitioners, scholars, and exemplars, which also served as a platform to explore larger trends and patterns that allow for the practical application and integration of love and forgiveness in political processes, the justice system, and conflict afflicted situations.

November 13-14, 2014 Love and forgiveness are universal values that seem to transcend race, culture, and nationality, making them a central part of what makes us human. Despite this fact, limited research exists on the role of love and forgiveness—and its practical application—in governance structures. This conference explored the role that the values of love and forgiveness can play in governance. Panels featured international practitioners, scholars, and exemplars, which also served as a platform to explore larger trends and patterns that allow for the practical application and integration of love and forgiveness in political processes, the justice system, and conflict afflicted situations.