Living in the Shadow of Conflict: Understanding Religion-Based Conflicts in the Social Life of Iranian Kurdistan

Authors

1 PhD in Cultural Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, Farhangian University, Shahid Modarres Branch, Kurdistan, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22080/ssi.2025.28325.2243

Abstract

Objectives: This research aims to analyze the construction of religiously based conflicts in the social life of Kurdistan province. Conflict as a social reality is a pervasive issue, especially with religious underpinnings. Although religion often has a unifying nature, its ability to create conflict is undeniable. Theoretically, the social construction of religion also includes the social construction of "irreligious" and "false religion." Accordingly, the question that the present study is designed to answer is: What is the structure of religious-based conflicts in the social life of Kurdistan Province? Methods: The present study was conducted using ethnographic, observational, and semi-structured in-depth interviews with citizens of various cities in Kurdistan Province who had lived experience of religious-based conflicts. Theoretical saturation was achieved by conducting 23 interviews. The Brown and Clark thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. After carefully examining the transcripts of the interviews and coding, 80 primary codes were identified. From the combination of the primary codes, 16 sub-themes were identified. These themes were then organized under four main themes, and the main themes further revealed the overarching theme of “religion-based conflicts.” Results: The findings showed that the themes of self-righteousness, rejection of pluralism, exclusivism, and totalitarianism have acted as "sources of religion-based conflicts." The themes of apostasy, excommunication, fanaticism, and hostility have acted as "intensifiers of religion-based conflicts." The themes of inflexibility, uncriticism, othering, and atheism have functioned as "perpetuators of religiously based conflicts," and the themes of ritualism, symbolism, sacred rites, and the sedimentation of traditions have functioned as "reflectors of religiously based conflicts". Conclusion: The aforementioned characteristics have produced, intensified, and perpetuated religious-based conflicts in the social life of Kurdistan Province.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Sociology of Social Institutions
Volume 12, Issue 25
August 2025
Pages 79-112

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