Panel: RELIGION AND NEW CROSS-CULTURAL REALITY: TRANSFORMATIONS AND CHALLENGES



21.2 - THE ROLE OF THE RELIGIOUS FACTOR IN BUILDING CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS

AUTHORS:
Roma A. (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ~ Kyiv ~ Ukraine)
Text:
We are going to examine the pivotal influence of religion in shaping and facilitating communication between culturally diverse groups. Religion, as a fundamental aspect of many societies, plays a crucial role in defining values, ethical frameworks, and social norms, which in turn affect how individuals and communities interact across cultural boundaries. We will explore how religious traditions, beliefs, and practices can serve both as bridges and barriers to effective cross-cultural communication. It will analyze the positive role of religion in fostering mutual understanding, trust, and cooperation through interfaith dialogue, shared moral values, and humanitarian efforts. At the same time, it will address the challenges posed by religious differences, including potential sources of conflict, stereotyping, and misunderstanding. Case studies from various regions, both historical and contemporary, will be highlighted to demonstrate how the religious factor influences cross-cultural communication. The discussion will also explore strategies for leveraging religious commonalities to build more inclusive, respectful, and productive interactions among culturally and religiously diverse populations. This abstract aims to provide a nuanced understanding of religion's role in the complex dynamics of cross-cultural communication.