In the wake of the events of 9/11, there has emerged a now significant body of literature that seeks to account for the “return” or “resurgence” of religion in international relations. Insofar as this literature typically focuses on particular religious traditions, however, a critical blind spot has developed whereby the contemporaneous proliferation of transnational interfaith initiatives-that necessarily rely on the collaborative efforts of two or more religious traditions-has often been overlooked.

This introduction to the special issue highlights this oversight and explores the role of interfaith actors, organizations and initiatives in the broader narrative of the ‘return’ of religion in international relations.