The ‘Religion and Violent Conflict’ workshop hosted by the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research (CHACR) in March provided a fascinating range of views for the attendees to ponder. Most importantly, there emerged from the discussion a view that religion, for perhaps the considerable majority of the world’s population, is not a discrete activity to be conducted apart from the daily run of people’s lives (which can characterise much of a secular society’s view of religion), but rather is an all encompassing influence that defines individuals, communities and cultures.