Kryachkov 2!indd

88
Д. А. Крячков
UNIT III
5. Discuss the evaluation criteria with your professor. Those will include the use of active vo-
cabulary. 
Possible project work topics:
1. 
Religion on the March/Decline of Religion.
2. The Role of World Religions in the Region You Specialize In.
3. Separation of Church and State: Myths and Reality (either in Russia or the country/region you 
specialize in).
4. Religion as a Force for Good/Bad.
Ex. 25. Practise making impromptu talks. 
Suggested topics:
—
what it means to be religious;
—
interfaith dialogue;
—
freedom of conscience;
—
religion and international conflict.
Ex. 26. Round table discussion. The Role of Religion in International Relations
Follow the guidelines in Unit 2 (ex. 24).
Roles:
Role 1: Historian. You offer a historical perspective on the role of religion in promoting inter-
national conflicts.
Role 2: Historian. You offer a historical perspective on the role of religion in promoting inter-
national peace.
Role 3: Russian Foreign Ministry official. Concentrate on how cooperation with the Russian 
Orthodox Church helps pursue the country’s foreign policy interests.
Roles 4&5: Representative of a major religion. Speak on what role religion can play in interna-
tional affairs either on the official or grass-roots level.
Roles 6&7: Representative of a major organization promoting interfaith dialogue (The Organization 
of the Islamic Conference, the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, the 
Buddhist International Alliance, etc). Focus on the role of intercultural and inter-civilizational dialogue 
in global politics and how religion can help diplomats in maintain international peace and stability.
Role 8: Political Scientist. Discuss the role religion plays in shaping social attitudes, thus affect-
ing the values at the heart of foreign policies (you may want to concentrate on some particular 
country). Alternatively, you can focus on how politicians use religion in their interests.
Role 9: Researcher specializing in a particular region/country whose foreign policy is to a cer-
tain extent affected by religion. 
Besides the web-sites of the relevant organizations, the following links may be useful in your 
preparation:
—
Jeffrey Haynes “Religion, ‘soft power’ and international relations”// http://paperroom.ipsa.
org/papers/paper_5026.pdf
—
David Wessels “Religion in International Politics” // http://paperroom.ipsa.org/papers/pa-
per_4073.pdf

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