Module manager: Gregorio Alonso
Email: g.alonso@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module will provide students with an overview of the manifold relationships between religion and violence across cultures and historical periods. The power of systems of belief, theistic and non-theistic alike, over how societies understand, resist, and criticise the legitimate use of force will be explored in depth. The module examines politico-religious sources of legitimation and peace-building processes, as well as distinct instances of conflict and persecution grounded on religious bases. Please note that this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolment numbers. If a low number of students choose this module, it may not run, and you may be asked to select another module.
This module aims to provide students with tools to understand the debates surrounding the relationships between religion and conflict. It does so by exploring conflicts provoked or mitigated by a variety of religious beliefs and spiritual traditions. Students will apply their reading and interpretational skills to an interdisciplinary body of texts and debates dealing with historical and current examples of politico-religious conflicts in European and non-European societies since the Early Modern period. It also engages critically with the specialised literature on themes and topics such as secularisation, political religions, religious wars, anticlericalism, or postcolonialism and decolonial approaches, to religious identities, among others. Students will be supported in achieving these objectives through student-led seminars that engage with a broad and transnational range of readings and interpretations.
On successful completion of the module, participants will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Analyse, review, and engage with prevalent theories focused on the relationship between religion and violence
2. Compose critical and academically informed insights about religious faiths and spiritual traditions as sources of both peace and conflict
3. Apply research skills to examine specific past or current instances of politico-religious hostility, confrontation and reconciliation
4. Discuss and assess complementary and alternative theoretical, critical, and historiographical accounts of past and contemporary events and processes
5. Gather and examine data and information from a range of reliable sources, using appropriate tools and technologies where applicable
6. Develop a clear, well-structured and convincing argument that is backed by evidence
Intercultural Skills
Research Skills
Analytical Skills
Employability Skills
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Private study hours | 178 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 22 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
As part of their summative assessment, students will be able to share an essay plan and receive feedback before submitting their assessed coursework. Literature reviews and essay plans will be shared prior to and then anonymously discussed and commented during two ad-hoc scheduled sessions
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Literature Review | 35 |
| Coursework | Essay | 65 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Use this field for any additional information about coursework assessment not included in the table above, and also for details of any alternate resit formats available.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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