Research Group - Peace, Trauma, and Religion

• Aim

  The Research Group aims to study more in-depth and contextual understanding of how religion and belief function in the context of polarization and reconciliation, drawing on de-colonizing hermeneutics, a lived religion approach and collaborative work across disciplines.

• Team

  The group consist of researchers from different backgrounds.

  • Fernando Enns (Team Leader)
  • Andrés Pacheco Lozano (Team Leader)
  • Robert Beckford
  • David Gushee
  • Katja Tolstoja
  • Srdjan Sremac
  • Dion A. Forster
  • Student Assistent Daniel Serrano Bernal

• Disciplines

  Religious Studies, Systematic Theology, Practical Theology, Ethics, Peace and Conflict Studies, Anthropology, Area Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Psychology, international Relations

• Possible thesis topics

  In recent years MA theses have been written on topics like:

  • Postcolonial Practice in the Ministry of Care: A Postcolonial Approach to the Remembered Identity Stories of Chinese Indonesians
  • Civil Resistance in the Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Bill Movement in Light of Postcolonial Theology
  • How Rebaptism can help Yazidi Women, formerly Enslaved and Sexually Exploited by Da’esh
  • Women of Faith Peacebuilding Contributions to Feminist Theology in an Intercultural-Decolonial Horizon in Colombia
  • Exploring Gandhi and King’s Understanding and Practice of Nonviolence for Political and Societal Change in Present Times
  • The Role of Churches in the Ukranian Revolution
  • Nûr from Different Prisms: Exploring Syrian Women Refugees’ Faith-Commitments Through Lived Religion

• Possible PhD Topics

  In recent years PhD theses have been successfully defended on:

  • Convictions, Conflict and Moral Reasoning: The Contribution of the Concept of Convictions in Understanding Moral Reasoning in the Context of Conflict, Illustrated by a Case Study of Four Groups of Christians in Northern Ireland
  • Towards a Theology of Reconciliation: A Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace to Heal Broken Relations in Colombia
  • Avowing Truth, Embodying Justice: A Theological Analysis of Truth-Telling and Transitional Justice in South Africa
  • “Bridging the Self-Other Divide.” Conflict Transformation and Contemplative Spirituality in Dialogue
  • Vrede hebben met het kruis van Christus. Onderzoek naar een soteriologie vanuit dopers perspectief
  • School Shootings: Existential Concerns and Implicit Religion

• Collaboration Senior and Junior Researchers

  The group meets monthly to discuss presentations and review the progress of joint research projects. Students in the Research Master's program and PhD candidates participate in the Research group's monthly meetings. PhD/MA students are actively involved in meetings by taking on responsibilities such as moderating sessions, and exchanging research materials and literature. 

  Given the international and diverse team and the number of PhD students from abroad, these meetings are usually held via Zoom.

• Connection with education

  In addition to its contributions in the fields of academics and academic research, the research group is closely related to the education program, especially the “Peace, Trauma, Religion” (PTR) master's specialization, which is part of the Theology and Religious Studies program. The PTR master's program allows students from various backgrounds in regard to ethnicity, nationality, gender and religious affiliation to study social challenges through the lenses of religion and theology, both from the perspective of outside and within religious communities. In a diverse and inclusive classroom environment, students will develop skills for peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and post-conflict recovery such as trauma healing. 

  This program explores the roots of conflict, including the influence of capitalism, discrimination, and colonialism in religious and cultural discourse. Besides academic research skills, students are also prepared with practical tools for advocacy and community work—becoming part of a peacebuilding community at the local and global levels.

• Academic relevance and societal urgency

  In academic context, the research group contributes to the interdisciplinary study of religion, theology, ethics, and peace studies, especially through the “lived religion” approach as well as applying de-colonial hermeneutics, that emphasizes the experience of diversity in the real context of (post-)conflict societies. By combining theory and methods from various disciplines, this research group stimulates a deeper understanding of the role of religion in the polarization processes as well as its transformative potential in reconciliation.

  In social context, the research group responds to the urgent need for peace-building initiatives in the midst of rising identity conflicts, polarization, and tensions between groups. By exploring narratives, religious practices, and the ethics of reconciliation in various traditions, the research group aims to promote interfaith dialogue, reconciliation, and the development of peace initiatives rooted in the spirituality of local communities as well as in political diplomacy and international law.

• Connection with centers/institutes

  Our Research Group is also closely connected to the Amsterdam Centre for Religion and Peace & Justice Studies (ACRPJ), an academic center for the exchange of ideas related to peace and justice in relation to religion. The mission of the ACRPJ is to bring together various disciplinary perspectives and (religious) views in order to deepen understanding of issues of peace and justice, and to disseminate this knowledge not only in academic circles but also to the wider public.

  In this regard, the ACRPJ organizes various activities such as conferences, public lectures, meetings, which are often also open to students. These activities provide opportunities for students to learn directly from researchers, practitioners, and communities affected by conflict. In addition, it also provides internship opportunities, work as research assistants, and supervision for thesis writing (both BA, MA, and PhD levels), especially in topics related to peacebuilding, trauma studies, and the role of religion in social transformation.

  There are strong links to the Center for Peace Church Theology at the University of Hamburg (Germany), the Queen´s Foundation in the UK, and the World Council of Churches.