This report explores the concepts of religion and identity and asks whether there are divided loyalties between the two.
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The question of whether an individual can be both a loyal citizen of a state and, at the same time, a passionate religious adherent has become one of the key issues of the new century, with much of the focus being placed on Islam.
There is a perception among some politicians, journalists and policy–makers, as well as within some elements of religious communities themselves, that the two loyalties must, by their very nature, be incompatible. In this thought–provoking essay, Sean Oliver–Dee argues that this need not be so. Proposing a ‘Two Tier Model’ in which religion and state become identity layers rather than competitors in the same field, Oliver–Dee argues that such tensions need not exist providing that policy–makers and religious communities each recognise the legitimacy of the other within its proper sphere.
Religion and Identity is a valuable contribution to a crucial debate and will be of interest to all those involved in the complex issues of integration, cohesion and community building
