We are pleased to announce that a new DiRSoM-related Open Panel has been officially accepted for the next European Academy of Religion (EUARE) Annual Conference, which will be held in Rome (Italy) in 2026.

The panel is titled:

Peace through Law or Peace through Strength? Religions, Politics, and Fundamental Human Rights in Contemporary Conflicts

Franceschi F. (Contact), Consorti P. (Chair), De Oto A. (Chair)

Sapienza University of Rome ~ Rome ~ Italy ^[1] , University of Pisa ~ Pisa ~ Italy, University Alma Mater – Bologna ~ Bologna ~ Italy

In a global landscape increasingly characterized by profound inequalities, persistent conflicts and growing social and political polarisation, the Western world, which in the post-war period had built peace on the basis of rights and the rule of law in general, is now witnessing the return of the cult of war, often based on identities propagated as strategic resources. The global geopolitical framework we have known until now, based on the primacy of law, is increasingly being challenged and replaced by one based on the logic of force (military, political, economic, etc.). The proposed panel aims to examine the future of law in the era of identity-based force and, above all, how religions and the religious element in general fit into this new dynamic. Indeed, religions can have a strong impact both on the promotion of peace (the commitment of religious actors and leaders to stability and peacebuilding) and on the affirmation of a new cult of war (religious fundamentalism, support by religious institutions for ideologies promoted by the state or specific groups that sanctify military conflict, often merging religious dogma with nationalism, etc.). In this context, the role of interfaith dialogue in peacebuilding policies is also fundamental for addressing contemporary conflicts and inequalities.