A recent commentary on this blog (Violence, Information and the Radicalisation of the Last MenbyDr Paul-Francois Tremlett) offered some fascinating insights on radicalisation and associated violence, and questioned whether they are necessarily motivated by religion. A recently published report from our department further explores this assumed connection between religion, radicalisation and violence, and more broadly, the commonly assumed link between religion and security.

This report, entitled Religion, Security and Global Uncertainties, aims to encourage more interaction, connected thinking and dialogue about the relationship between religion and security between academics, policy-makers, journalists and the communities involved. It was informed by research conducted between October 2013 and January 2014, which included a series of interviews with academic researchers and roundtable discussions with MPs, public policy officers, journalists, church ministers, and representatives of faith communities, local community organisations and NGOs.

The full report and executive summary can be found at: www.open.ac.uk/arts/research/religion-martyrdom-global-uncertainties/reports

This research represents the first phase of the Religion, Martyrdom and Global Uncertainties project, which is funded under a Research Council UK Global Uncertainties Leadership Fellowship. Coinciding with the centenary of the First World War, the second phase of this project examines interpretations of Martyrdom and explores who, what, why and how we choose to commemorate. For more information on this project, see our project website: www.open.ac.uk/arts/research/religion-martyrdom-global-uncertainties/

John Wolffe and Gavin Moorhead.