Qualitative study of social conflicts related to religion (Kurdistan province)

Religion is supposed to play its role as a unifying factor, while religious beliefs sometimes lead to anti-social and destructive behaviors. The present study examines the social conflicts based on religion in the last half century in Kurdistan province and studies the role of religion in weakening or intensifying social conflicts. Emile Durkheim, Merton and Passons give religion a role of cohesion and consider the function of religion to protect society. On the other hand, Marxists believe that religion not only does not eliminate social contradictions, but also aggravates them. The current research has used the constructivism approach and library historical methods, oral history and ethnography and has studied the lived experiences of the society based on existing theories with documentary tools such as books, newspapers and interviews with knowledgeable people. According to the findings, conflicts in Kurdistan were sometimes between individuals, sometimes between sects, religious or secular groups. Sometimes these contradictions are intellectually and sometimes physically and coercive forces are strengthened or weakened in the long or short term. The results indicate that in the researched society, religion affects social conflicts in seven ways. Among them, in one case, religion reflects the conflict, in three cases, it destroys, covers and weakens it, and in the other three cases, it is the origin, strengthening and continuation of the conflicts.