GCSE Religious Studies Unit 2 (Religion and Society)- Peace and Conflict

Peace and Conflict

The United Nations (the UN)- founded in 1945 after WW2, has 193 member staes not including Vatican City. why important for world peace?- 1. imposing sanctions on countries threatening world peace. 2. authorises use of force by member states to stop an aggresser. 3. can send UN peacekeeper to: prevent outbreak of conflict or spill over of conflict to borders. Stabilise conflict situation after ceasefire & create environment for parties to reach lasting peace keeping agreement. assist in putting peace agreements into practice. lead states to stable government based on democratic principles & economic development, after have been in conflict. how world peace promoted by UN & religious organisations->War crimes= UN keep peace through laws that must be upheld and prosecutes those who break them. War Crimes include murder/ill-treatment/deportation of civilians/hostages, wanton destruction of villages/towns/cities. etc. How UN sorted kosovo problem- UN bombed Serbia to defeat Serbian army, then sent forces to prevent serbian army going into Kosovo (and reverse), sent army to protect towns with serbs in kosovo (and reverse). Sent in militians to help run government and create political parties. After UN gave kosovo political parties they had an election in 2008.

Religion & World Peace- Even though religious people fight in wars, all religions believe in World Peace. How they work towards peace- 1. organising public debates on horrors of war & encourage followers to support political parties opposed to war. Could bring World Peace since more people learn about war, more likely to vote for peace. 2. making public statements about war, could bring peace since public opinion be changed & government take notice of public opinion. 3. organising & attending inter-faith conferences to help religions work together to promote peace. Many conflicts causes by religious dispute so if work together peace easier to obtain. 4. Working for economic justice and global recognition of human rights lead to wars stopped before start. Wars also stop because religions feel members treated right.

Why Wars occur- 1. Economics-a. some think Iraq invaded because west wanted to make sure would have access to enormous oil reserves. b. economic problems in 1 country lead to conflict in another. 2. Religion- a. difference within a religion and 1 religious group attacks another for having different beliefs. b. majority of area is 1 religion but country as whole different religion. c.1 country might feel another country treating their followers of their religion badly so invade to protect them. 3. Nationalism and Ethnicity- a. can lead to genocide. b. leads to minority group fighting civil wars to establish an independent state c. tensions between ethnic groups often arise in countries which been artifically created as result of colnialism. d. One form of nationalism is belief that each separate ethnic group should have its own country because different culture. e. Another form of Nationalism to insist only minority ethnic groups should be removed from the country so that nation only 1 ethnic group.

Nature and importanceof theory of just war- developed…