Definition and Characteristics — Definition

Definition

Communalism is the political belief that people sharing a religion have one overriding collective interest that conflicts with the interests of other religious communities. It reduces the diversity within a community and can justify unequal citizenship, exclusion or domination.

Religious faith, worship or association is not by itself communalism. A person may practise a religion while supporting equal rights and cooperating across religious boundaries. The concept helps explain how stereotypes and collective fear can shape mobilisation before violence occurs.

In internal-security analysis, the task is to identify those mechanisms and protect individuals without treating an entire religious population as responsible for particular offenders.