Religion and Countering Violent Extremism

As governments and societies grapple with violent extremism, experts in the field continue to consider how to counter extremists’ use of ideologies. For a world in which more than 80 percent of people identify themselves as religious, the role of religious leaders, ideas, and institutions is critical to countering the many strains of violent extremism. On January 17 USIP held a discussion of the latest trends in policy and practice around the intersection of religion and its role in preventing and countering violent extremism. A panel of experts presented and discussed practical guidelines around the role of religion in preventing and countering violent extremism.