Religion and peacebuilding
Sovereignty and territorial disputes include a vast variety of elements and features that different disciplines explicate and evaluate as objects or subjects of study—i.e. any living or inanimate “thing” or “entity,” action or omission capable of being studied by any scholarly discipline. According to their modes of existence, these objects or subjects of study may be classified as ideal, natural, cultural and metaphysical.[1]
Territorial disputes and sovereignty conflicts can be characterized by reference to ideal, natural, cultural or metaphysical elements and features. The distinction is important because the kind of object or mode of existence conditions the way in which scholars make their assessments (methodology) as well as their understanding (epistemological act). More precisely, because of the particularities of these objects or subjects of study, scientific disciplines apply a relevant method to understand and assess them. Similarly, different scientific disciplines use relevant epistemological acts to interpret them in a way they can be transferred as knowledge. The following paragraphs will briefly refer only to metaphysical objects.
Metaphysical objects are real, they exist, are not in the experience and are valuable positively and negatively. For example, God, who is conceived as a reality and the highest goodness, is not in the experience, as He cannot be seen anywhere nor be accessed through any other of the senses. However, at least for believers, He is a reality, accessible through faith and therefore exists. Metaphysical objects such as common faith and beliefs have had an impact too in territorial disputes in territorial disputes in the Americas.
Religion in the Americas and peacebuilding
The chart below illustrates current data pertaining major religious groups in the Americas, with focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.
A point worth highlighting that seems to be a constant feature in territorial disputes in the Americas and their peaceful settlements has to do with other normative system than law, that is religion. All states in the Americas somehow follow and/or officially support Judeo-Christian tradition.
Research shows that Judeo-Christian tradition, in comparison to others, fosters peacebuilding by means in addition to holy scriptures and individual figures such as institutions and practices dedicated to that effect.
For example, while attempts made by the United Kingdom almost brought a war because of the Beagle Channel Dispute, common faith—i.e. Argentina and Chile are largely Catholic populations—by means of the Papal mediation was instrumental in the final peaceful settlement.[2]
NOTE:
This blog series introduces, explains and assesses issues pertaining territorial disputes in the Americas including law, politics, culture, history and religion. There will be new posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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[1] This post will briefly refer to metaphysical objects. For a detailed account of each mode of existence (including ideal, natural, cultural and metaphysical objects) see Jorge E. Núñez, Cosmopolitanism, State Sovereignty, International Law and Politics: A Theory. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group (London and New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023), Chapter 5.
[2] James L. Garrett, “The Beagle Channel Dispute: Confrontation and Negotiation in the Southern Cone,” Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 27:3 (1985): 81-109; and many others.
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