Politicization of Religion, the Power of State, Nation, and Faith

(Ab)use of religion as a political means to an end: the achievement of nationalist political goals, analyzing 'how' through which mechanisms this phenomenon has been and still is practiced in South-Eastern Europe.

'In difficult times it is easy to fall back on traditional values, like for example religion or nation, especially if they were repressed. This happened in mid-eighties in former Yugoslavia when politicians revoked national and religious differences using them for political purposes. But they went one step too far. What followed were tragic wars. In spite of that, even twenty years after the war and collapse of the Yugoslav state, religions continue to be politicized. This is why the book that shows how it happened, is so important.' - Slavenka Drakuli?, Writer and Political Commentator, Eurozine and Guardian, author of They Would Never Hurt a Fly: War Criminals on Trial in the Hague (2004)

'The topics addressed in this volume on the politicization of religion could not be more urgent, the multi-disciplinary questioning of the politically correct and intellectually lazy label "fundamentalism" not more to the point. The contributions assembled demonstrate how poorly understood the so-called "civil war" in Bosnia-Herzegovina still remains. A long overdue clear-eyed look at a phenomenon that we continue to misconstrue only at our peril.' - Arne Johan Vetlesen, Professor of Philosophy, University of Oslo, Norway, author of Evil and Human Agency (2005)

Autorentext
Keith Tester, University of Hull, UK Gorana Ognjenovi?, University of Oslo, Norway Jasna Jozeli?, University of Oslo, Norway Sergej Flere, University of Maribor, Slovenia Clemens Cavallin, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Sead S. Fetahagi?, Nansen Dialogue Centre, Bosnia-Herzegovina Kosta Milkov, Director of Balkan Institute for Faith and culture, Macedonia Milan Vukomanovi?, University of Belgrade, Serbia Kenneth Morrison, De Monfort University, UK Neboj a C?agorovic?, University of Montenegro, Montenegro Sre?o Drago , University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Anton K. Berishaj, University of Pri tina, Kosovo

Inhalt
Contents Foreword A Note on Sociology; Keith Tester Preface; Gorana Ognjenovi? and Jasna Jozeli? 1. Introduction; Gorana Ognjenovi? and Jasna Jozeli? 2. Politicization of Religion, the Case of Bosnia-Herzegovina; Jasna Jozeli? 3. Was the Bosnian War (1992-1995) a Full-fledged Religious War?; Sergej Flere 4. The Role of the Catholic Church in the Bosnian Conflict 1991-1995, An Historical Approach; Clemens Cavallin & Sead S. Fetahagi? 5. Politicization of Religion in Former Yugoslavia: the Case of the Evangical Protestants?; Kosta Milkov 6. Ecclesiastical Involvement in Serbian Politics: Post-2000 Period; Milan Vukomanovi? 7. The Political Dynamics of Intra-Orthodox Conflict in Montenegro; Kenneth Morrison and Neboja ?agorovi? 8. The Separation between Church and State in Slovenia: A Political Fiasco; Sre?o Drago 9. Religion and Politics in Kosovo; Anton K. Berishaj Conclusion