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

Keith Tester, University of Hull, UKGorana Ognjenovi?, University of Oslo, NorwayJasna Jozeli?, University of Oslo, NorwaySergej Flere, University of Maribor, SloveniaClemens Cavallin, University of Gothenburg, SwedenSead S. Fetahagi?, Nansen Dialogue Centre, Bosnia-HerzegovinaKosta Milkov, Director of Balkan Institute for Faith andculture, MacedoniaMilan Vukomanovi?, University of Belgrade, SerbiaKenneth Morrison, De Monfort University, UKNeboj a C?agorovic?, University of Montenegro, MontenegroSre?o Drago , University of Ljubljana, SloveniaAnton K. Berishaj, University of Pri tina, Kosovo

'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)

• 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 Nebojša ?agorovi? 8. The Separation between Church and State in Slovenia: A Political Fiasco; Sre?o Dragoš 9. Religion and Politics in Kosovo; Anton K. Berishaj Conclusion