Acting in Bad Faith: A Qualitative Study on how Religious Centrality in Conflict Incompatibilities Amplifies Civilian Victimization

This thesis examines whether the religious framing of a conflict’s incompatibility by a rebel group amplifies its civilian victimization. To assess this, a comparative case study of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the Philippines was conducted. The research makes use of a structured focused comparison to investigate the correlation between religious centrality and patterns of violence against civilians. While the findings indicate that religious framing enhances mobilization and provides ideological justification, its direct connection to civilian mobilization is inconclusive. Alternative explanations, such as external support and command structure, appear significant for the chosen cases. Nonetheless, the research contributes to a further understanding of the nuanced role that religion has on conflict dynamics whilst providing a foundation for future research on leadership and group cohesion in religiously framed conflicts.