Religion, as an essential element of sociological, cultural and political science analysis, has for a long time had a well-established position in research carried out by representatives of many fields of study. In a way, this is a realisation of Max Weber’s legacy, who believed that every major religious system has created its own relationship towards different aspects of social life, with considerable consequences for the development of mankind.
Despite some contradictory opinions expressed in the past, religion does remain an important factor determining in many ways mutual relations between states and communities in the contemporary world. Mutual relations between Serbia and Croatia, India and Pakistan, or Ireland and Great Britain, all have religious tensions in the background. In front of our very eyes we can witness the cultural and religious conflict between the world of Islam and Euroatlantic civilization. On the other hand, activities and mediations of religious leaders help to ease the conflicts of interests determining international politics in the contemporary world. Visions of peaceful coexistence of nations advocated by some religions have become a standard repertoire of political propaganda. Also the economic development has its religious determinants, and the field of international law is connected both with the ideals of Enlightenment and the development of religious principles.
And finally, there is an issue of dynamics and the nature of transformation of religion itself, its forms and ways of presence in the life of contemporary people and contemporary society, and predictions concerning the significance of religion in the future.
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