THE ROLE OF RELIGION ON STATE RELATIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM, 1976-2003

SUMMARY

It is very difficult for the modern world to ignore the presence of religion in international relations. Religion has played and still plays a role in the international system. This role has been manifested in different forms which are mediation, state identity, conferring legitimacy, Influencing foreign policy and instigating violence. The consequences of this role has both positive and negative sides while the positive aspects came from the role of Buddhism and Christianity on state relations, more of the negative effects on the other hand, is on the part of Islamic role in state relations. The study took a retrospective view of the different extremist ideologies, lots of human rights violations and religious terrorism which degraded the image of Islamic states and religion in the international community. Religion's involvement in state relations is often times complex and political leaders have a hard time in dealing with this phenomenon which often times have resulted to hostility towards religious ideologies, actors and institutions. This is because religious values are beyond the physical realm and the fulfillment of religious values confers spiritual and emotional satisfaction rather than physical. In addition, religion transcends national boundaries and it is able to mobilize support from a wider range of population believe to be bound by a common spiritual heritage. This can either be good or bad because if the cause is positive then there is no issue but if the cause is negative then it creates a bigger problem 60 which can escalate and become intractable. The trans-border tendencies as the study shows can either be positive or negative. Also policies of some states are also informed by their religious identity, which have created difficulties in their relations with secular states, states that practice a different religion or religious actors and institutions from another religion.