Religion, resilience and relationship: Civil society in Malerkotla

The role of religion in conflict and peace has been explored by many, but uncovering the direct role that religion plays has often been difficult to isolate. Many have turned to look at regions where religion has played a destructive role while others have examined the peaceful potential of religion. This study extends previous work on peace and conflict resolution by looking at a town which has witnessed many outbreaks of violence in the past but still holds peace as the norm.; The former princely state of Malerkotla is a place where riots did not occur during Partition. In this unique Muslim majority town, there are four distinct religious groups that live in close proximity to each other and yet, the overall pattern of peaceful plurality in the town has resulted in the transcendence of violence even when the threat loomed close by.; The focus of this study is religious exchange and interactions of two groups, including Muslims and Sikhs, which are often understudied in isolation. The narratives, practices and teachings between and amongst these religious groups are a part of the rich civic engagement to which this community in Northern Punjab is dedicated to. Religious associations, expressions and activities have helped to build social capital and stabilize peace, in addition to practices of shared sacred spaces and rituals.; In this dissertation I argue it is impossible to state that religion is the sole factor in maintaining peace in this unique town, but rather that it is a combination of economic, political and social elements that help strengthen the civic ties that hold this society together. Based on ethnographic research conducted in the Punjab, this study demonstrates that religious historical narratives, rituals and daily practices are necessary to help maintain peace, but not sufficient on their own. Religious groups in this town are interconnected through civil society networks in which religious social capital helps to actively engage members of the society in relationships which create a dialogue for peace. This work offers a different way of understanding religion, drawing conclusions that are important for the study of religion in conflict resolution.