ABSTRACT

In recent decades, much of the increase in religion’s rising political profile has been due to the violent conflicts and events attributed to religion. These include the Iranian Revolution, which was followed by violent Islamic opposition movements in many Muslim countries, including some particularly violent civil wars such as the civil wars in Algeria and Afghanistan during the 1990s. They also include the events of 9/11, which eventually led to the continual clashes between Western, primarily US, forces and Muslim militant groups in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as continued terrorist activities by Al-Qaeda and other militant Muslim groups worldwide.