Praying for Peace?

This paper examines conflicts over laws, protests and public controversies related to religious noise restrictions in urban and rural settings. While laws have been proposed or passed in a number of jurisdictions including Israel and many African, Asian and European countries, their effects are not the same for all populations. Proponents of the laws argue that they are directed toward environmental conditions, and to preserving quiet for all residents. Opponents argue that these laws are directed toward silencing the Muslim muezzin call to prayer, do not restrict noise from other religions, and are not primarily environmental in their goals. With examples from Israel and elsewhere, we apply an analytical framework specifically focused on conflicts with religious dimensions. This tailored framework and related intervention strategies are designed to generate more authentic dialogue about the purposes and effects of noise reduction laws, thus de-escalating this and other conflicts with religious dimensions.