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Recommended: Relation between religion and politics

In today’s dynamic and multipolar strategic environment, there is a heightened potential for greater conflict. One reason for this lies in the different ways in which state and non-state actors interpret and respond to the myriad challenges and opportunities of a much more turbulent global context. These differences in interpretation and response are largely rooted in differences in culture, for it is culture that forms the subconscious set of shared meanings that guide group behaviors and perceptions. Understanding culture in terms of the deep, underlying assumptions and shared mind-sets held by both state and non-state actors is critical for today’s strategic military planner in attempting to predict the potential for conflict and in planning for effective conflict resolution.
Contemporary scholars agree culture is an important factor in counter insurgency, irregular warfare, stability, humanitarian, and reconstruction operations. Cultural factors influence every level of interpersonal interactions. Religion and Spirituality as a domain provides the foundation for social order and shared identity. In some cultures, religion and religious leaders have great influence on the strategic and political environment. Therefore, Religion and Spirituality within the 12 Air Force domains of culture affects strategic communication during interactions with local leaders, military advisers, and key leader engagements (KLE).
KLE are extremely important in understanding the cultural religious and spiritual beliefs. Jeffrey Lantis stated, “Political cultural dynamics shape not only prevailing public sentiments, but also the development of political institutions” . The scope of political culture is shaped by many factors and religion is one of t...

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...Religious Extremism creates an evolution for religious understanding. These extreme expressions of religion are common to the landscape of conflicts. Militant movements cloaked in religious orthodoxy justify the need to engage religious leadership and anthropologist for strategic guidance. The complexity of current conflicts is exacerbated when religious leaders compound conflicts with incendiary language.
Often religion is used as a tool to exploit and widen a sphere of strategic influence. The cultural significance of religion and spirituality provides an opportunity to connect, analysis, and redefine approach for military planning. RLE is a tool at the disposal of the US military to construct a new paradigm for strategic, economic, political, and social change.

Works Cited

Lantis, Jeffery “Strategic Culture and National Security Policy” p 91.
Ibid., 94.

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