On Crisis Management Of Religious Conflict

As a cultural phenomenon with unique psychological function, religion should be categorized in the conception of ideology, which makes it not only an effective means of social control but also an important source of conflict and war. After the Cold War, with the increase of the absolute number of believers and the rise of religious extremism, the global rejuvenation of religion has been an incontestable reality. The possibility and intensity of religious conflicts has been increased. Although religious conflict is a very important theme in many fields of study such as politics and sociology, there is little research from the perspective of crisis management. With the development of globalization and science and technology, religious conflicts will influence more on other regions by more complex means. Without an effective management mechanism, a small-scale conflict or terroristic attack will soon deteriorate and even result in a destructive crisis, which is accompanied by lots of loss, including life, economy and national figure. What's more, the feeling of insecurity in people will influence the relationship amongst different believers and nations, which may cause a new crisis. So the perspective of crisis management is not only relatively new but also significant to government decision-making.In this article, the concept of religious crisis is determined after the comparison and analyses of religious conflict, terrorism and ethnical conflict. And the crisis management is defined as a process aiming to prevent, recognize, and release crisis, to decrease the imponderable loss strategically and technologically. Through the analyses of Indian religious crisis, American September 11th attack and the Middle East crisis, the difference between domestic and international crisis management mechanism is demonstrated in the comparison. Based on the brief analyses of China's reality and potential problem, a design of China's crisis management mechanism on religious crisis is raised. The content suggests preventive measures, anticipation index and response plan. And it also emphasizes on the positive function of religious communion and leaders.