Abstract

Religion is a primordial driver that shapes many historical and contemporary conflicts.  The contestations, of both civic and global in nature, point to the seemingly incompatible values and strategic goals amongst tribal communities. While the narrative of religious dominance and competition is not new in the discourse of regional security and peace, much less has been discussed in the context of the interfaith cooperation, and the political and geopolitical factors that enabled constructive dialogues and partnerships. Importantly, how may we look back in the passage of time to identify the periods and conditions that foster sectarian conversations and what are the lessons for humanity in an epoch of divisions and polarisation.

About the speakers

Professor Peter Frankopan is Professor of Global History at Oxford University and UNESCO Professor of Silk Roads Studies at King’s College, Cambridge. His books include The First Crusade: The Call from the East (2012) which was described as ‘over-turning a millennium of scholarship’ (The Times) and ‘the most significant contribution to re-thinking the origins and causes of the First Crusade for a generation’ (The Times Literary Supplement). The Silk Roads: A New History of the World (2015), which was described ‘not just the most important history book in years, but the most important in decades’ (Berliner Zeitung). It was named one of the Sunday Times Books of the Decade (2010-19) and as one of the 25 most important books translated into Chinese, alongside Pride and Prejudice and A Hundred Years of Solitude. His book, The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World (2018) was awarded the Carical Prize for Social Sciences in 2019.

Peter’s most recent book is The Earth Transformed: An Untold History (2023), which looks at the role played by climate, nature the environment since the dawn of time has been a major bestseller around the world. It was a Financial Times, Sunday Times, Le Point, Guardian Book of the Year, and The Times History Book of the Year. According to the Financial Times, ‘Humanity has transformed the Earth: Frankopan transforms our understanding of history.’

Peter is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Royal Geographic Society, the Royal Society of Literature, the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Anthropological Institute, He is also President of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs. He advises governments, multi-lateral institutions around the world about global affairs. Often described as a ‘rockstar’ academic (BBC News, New Statesman, The Times, Der Spiegel), Peter has been called ‘the first great historian of the 21^st century’ (DCM magazine).

Dr Leong Chan-Hoong is Senior Fellow and Head of Social Cohesion Research Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.  He sits on the International Advisory Board at the Centre for Applied Cross-cultural Research, in Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.