Faith-based conflict prevention and early warning scoping project

Qualitative data from collaborative research undertaken in Nigeria and Solomon Islands by researchers from the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (Coventry University) and colleagues from the Anglican network of churches worldwide. 2014.

Includes transcripts of individual and groups interviews, focus groups and community forums and researcher participant observation notes. Also includes notes from the 'Promoting Peace, Preventing Violence' consultation with global church leaders that contributed to developing the research insights.

Research in Nigeria was focused in Jos and Kaduna, both cities that have experienced significant ethno-religious conflict. The researchers engaged with 249 respondents across 30 organisations in 32 sessions.

Field research in Solomon Islands took place in the capital Honiara. The team interviewed 20+ leaders from key groups inside and outside of the church and visited Tabalia, the home of the Melanesian Brotherhood. <p>The aim of the project is to answer three questions about the role of churches and other faith groups in helping to spot early signs of violence and stop it from happening.

1) what is distinctive about faith-based approaches and what makes them different from the activities that are carried out by people who are not working from a faith point of view

2) what are the dilemmas that emerge when faith groups get involved in trying the prevent violence and what possible tensions can we foresee with people who do not share their beliefs

3) what scope is there for improving the work that churches and faith groups do to help prevent violence and what changes do we need to make for this to happen.

The research will help us to know more about the work taking place, helping churches and their partners to plan effectively. Activities to ensure that the research makes a difference include a high-level meeting of people from the church, government and charities hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, sessions with Bishops in the House of Lords and the production of a set of resources on conflict prevention for church-goers in conflict areas.</p>