This volume analyzes discourses in which religion is used to legitimize political violence. The research centers on both premodern and modern Islam and Christianity outside the post-industrial world, with a particular focus on the Middle East and Latin America, thus filling a gap in the existing literature. The resulting study and its contribution to conflict resolution is relevant for academics and political practitioners alike.

this volume explores theoretical discourses in which religion is used to legitimize political violence. It examines the ways in which Christianity and Islam are utilized for political ends, in particular how violence is used (or abused) as an expedient to justify political action. This research focuses on premodern as well as contemporary discourses in the Middle East and Latin America, identifying patterns frequently used to justify the deployment of violence in both hegemonic and anti-hegemonic discourses. In addition, it explores how premodern arguments and authorities are utilized and...