The Islamic State (IS), al-Qaeda-linked groups, Boko Haram and other extremist movements are protagonists in today’s deadliest crises, complicating efforts to end them. They have exploited wars, state collapse and geopolitical upheaval in the Middle East, gained new footholds in Africa and pose an evolving threat elsewhere. Reversing their gains requires avoiding the mistakes that...

Overview

This thesis offers a reappraisal of Earth as presented in Gen. 1:1-2:4a from a Samoan gafataulima (accomplish/fulfil/capable) hermeneutical perspective. The inspiration for the study arose out of a personal dilemma concerning my religious beliefs and the reality that I am experiencing in the world today, specifically, the tensions between Earth's perfect portrait in Gen. 1:1-2:4a...

An investigation into New Zealand-born Samoan identity in the Congregational Christian Church Samoa.

This paper reports empirical evidence, which shows that institutional configurations form an important factor in mediating and articulating the relationship between religion, state and society in Muslim countries. The findings are that trust in religious institutions and their public influence are greater in Muslim countries with differentiated institutional configurations.