Despite the significant impact—both real and potential—that religious actors and communities can have on formal peace processes, there is little research on or analysis of their engagement as part of these processes. This report aims to remedy this… Read more
Religion and religious actors have been important influences on the occupation of Crimea and on hybrid warfare issues in eastern Ukraine since 2014. Since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion, they have influenced social dynamics within Ukraine as… Read more
The “Religion and Reconciliation Action Guide” will help those who seek to organize, facilitate or support reconciliation efforts where faith matters to those involved. It is intended to be of use to both religious and secular practitioners who already… Read more
The “Religion in Conflict and Peacebuilding Analysis Guide” examines a wide range of ways religion contributes to peacebuilding and conflict, whether practiced by religious or secular actors, even when the conflict has no religious dimensions. This… Read more
The “Religion and Mediation Action Guide” will help religious actors — and the policymakers and practitioners who seek to engage them — to more effectively organize, facilitate or support mediation where religion is relevant to the participants, the… Read more
The “Religion and Gender Action Guide” will help faith-based and secular practitioners better understand and address issues at the intersection of religion and gender in conflict and peacebuilding. It provides practical guidance for taking a gender… Read more
In 2021–22, USIP’s Religion and Inclusive Societies Program convened a bipartisan working group of advocates, academics, and former government officials to discuss how the United States can advance global peace and stability by embracing international… Read more
USIP collaborated with USAID’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships on an initiative called Closing the Gap to study the relationship between religious freedom and regime type, political stability, and economic development. This report… Read more
Since 2001, when the Bush administration created a unit within the White House to work on faith-based initiatives, Democratic and Republican administrations alike have sought to engage religious actors worldwide in support of their diplomatic,… Read more
Religious actors in Iraq wield considerable influence, and Iraqis perceive them as playing an important role in moving the country toward peace. This report analyzes the influence of Iraq’s religious actors—who has it, why they have it, and how they… Read more
This Peaceworks report maps the religious landscape of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, focusing in particular on the current and potential influence of religion in peace and reconciliation efforts. Part of a broader USIP initiative to map the religious… Read more
In the context of UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security, this report examines collaborations between youth and religious leaders in conflict-affected states. Using case studies, surveys, and interviews, it highlights the gaps,… Read more