Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict

Why is religion an accelerating, often divisive political and public force? How do religious ideas and practices shape or constrain ideals of democracy, human rights, and global citizenship? How can understanding religious aims for bettering humanity recast questions of scientific and technological innovation, climate change, and human progress? What visions and values does religion offer for imagining and building a more just, peaceful and equitable world? 

The Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict generates innovative thinking on these and other questions through a transdisciplinary approach that:

• Connects the campus and the community through education and outreach
• Serves scholars, practitioners, policymakers and the public
• Builds global networks through international exchange
• Prepares the next generation of students for an increasingly interconnected and complex world.

The center houses an array of collaborative research initiatives that engage the complicated role of religion, for good and ill, across societies and cultures. The center’s groundbreaking work has been supported by many foundations and agencies, including the National Science Foundation; National Endowment for the Humanities; the Departments of Defense and State; the U.S. Agency for International Development; and the Ford, Henry Luce and Templeton Foundations.

A robust mix of student programs advance undergraduate education, and the Center’s signature lecture series engages the public in expanding knowledge, enhancing cross-cultural dialogue, and promoting wiser, more effective responses.