Religious Identity and Ethical Values in UN Peacebuilding : A Comparative Study of Islamic Relief Worldwide and World Vision International in UN Peacebuilding Contexts

This thesis explores how two major faith-based organizations, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) and World Vision International (WVI), frame their religious identity and ethical values in relation to UN peacebuilding in multifaith contexts. Using a comparative design and the analytical framework of discursive psychology, it analyzes institutional publications to examine how each organization balances theological commitments with the demands of secular, pluralistic humanitarian systems. Drawing on concepts such as interpretative repertoires, subject positions, and reconciliation repertoires (Jørgensen & Phillips, 2002), the study finds that both IRW and WVI construct flexible, context-responsive religious identities tailored to different audiences, serving as important moral resources for interfaith and humanitarian engagement. IRW emphasizes Islamic principles to assert compatibility with global norms and challenge misperceptions of Islam, while WVI articulates a relational, non-impositional Christian identity grounded in humility and witness. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how religious discourse operates within international peacebuilding frameworks, highlighting the strategic and transformative potential of faith in global cooperation.