For most of the twentieth century, the critical concerns of national security have been balance of power politics and the global arms race. The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the motives behind them, however, demand a radical break with this tradition. If the United States is to prevail in its long-term contest with extremist Islam, it will need to re-examine old assumptions, expand the scope of its thinking to include religion and other "irrational" factors, and be willing to depart from past practice. A purely military response in reaction to such attacks will simply not suffice.  Effectively addressing the ideas behind the guns will require a long-term strategy of cultural engagement, backed by a deeper understanding of how others view the world and what is important to them. Link here for recent review.

These books explore the positive role that religious or spiritual factors can play in preventing or resolving conflict, while advancing social change based on justice and reconciliation.  They also make a strong case for incorporating religious considerations into the practice of international politics.

 A PDF version of Madrasa Enhancement and Global Security: A Model for Faith-based  Engagement is available for purchase. This monograph is an in-depth look at the principles, methodology, and accomplishments to date of ICRD’s Pakistan Madrasa Project and charts the course for taking it to scale throughout the country. It also provides a model for similar reform elsewhere.