R. Scott Appleby, pioneer of 'The ambivalence of the sacred' and religious engagement

Since the publication 20 years ago of his classic book, The Ambivalence of the Sacred: Religion, Violence, and Reconciliation, R. Scott Appleby’s scholarly and policy contribution has been crucial to a more reflexive study of religion in international relations. Appleby’s argument sits in a unique place in the context of the research produced in the last 30 years to address the neglected role of religion in international affairs, and in particular, in the breakthrough that has seen the emergence of the more recent policy discussions on “religious engagement” in the global foreign policy-making community