RELIGION, CIVIL WAR, AND THE SHAPING OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN THE MODERN ERA

Abstract

In the modern geopolitical landscape, religion and civil wars have become defining forces in the formation of national identities. This paper explores how religious ideologies and sectarian divisions contribute to the eruption and persistence of civil wars, and how such conflicts, in turn, catalyze or fracture the process of national identity formation. Drawing upon comparative case studies from the Middle East, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, this study examines the dual role of religion as both a unifying and divisive force. It also investigates the role of colonial legacies, state formation challenges, and external interventions. The article concludes that while religion can act as a powerful source of cohesion, its instrumentalization during civil wars can lead to deeply fragmented societies, affecting long-term nation-building efforts.