THE RELIGIOUS FACTOR IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The article represents a summary and interpretation of the results obtained in the course of a comprehensive research carried out within the scientific and research work in the sphere of modelling intercultural communication in a global world. The article outlines and substantiates the forms and mechanisms of the impact exerted by religion on intercultural communication and international relations. The three systemic forms of interrelations between these social phenomena are described: two 'desirable', 'favourable' and one 'unfavourable'. The 'desirable', 'favourable' forms ensure positive relations between culture and religion, leading to the improvement of intercultural communication and international relations. On the other hand, the 'undesirable' factor of belonging to different confessions becomes an obstacle to effective international relations. Theoretical conclusions and their discussion are supported by the results of empirical research conducted on a representative basis. The work emphasizes the fact identified in the course of content analysis of scientific literature that the amount of empirical research into the impact of the religious factor on intercultural communication is much lower than that of theoretical research, which poses a scientific problem connected with substantiation of the accuracy of the latter. The article contains practical recommendations for international and in-country management in the sphere of organization of specialized scientific research into intercultural communication and international relations, improvement of the existing regulating structures applying to the examined social phenomenon in the system of international governance and establishment of new structures in this field.