News
What we've been up to:
Is America losing its civil religion?
January 22, 2021
A number of factors contributed to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, but perhaps none were more salient or telling of the time in which we live than the overt religious nationalism on display that day, from nuns in traditional, pre-Vatican II habits to one man dressed as someone from the Book of Mormon.
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Rapid relief grants aid Arizona's vulnerable populations
July 24, 2020
In Arizona, some of the communities hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic have been the same communities whose plight often goes unnoticed — refugees, asylum-seekers, DACA recipients, mixed-status migrants and Native American tribes.
Biden's inaugural address bolsters civil religion
January 21, 2021
Biden's inaugural address acknowledged the many challenges our country faces while also appealing to our nation's values: our collective responsibility to come together to solve problems and preserve American democracy.
2021
October
ASU lecture to preview forthcoming book 'The White Savior and the Waif'
October 4, 2021
In recent years, respected humanitarian organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, Feed the Children and Oxfam have come under pressure for being part of what is described as the “White Savior
September
Center on the Future of War faculty on recent events in Afghanistan
September 17, 2021
On Aug. 15, the Taliban took over the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, following the decision from the United States to fully withdraw all military from the country. The withdrawal of U.S. troops officially signaled the end of the 20-year war with Afghanistan, America’s longest.
Explore the human adventure at ASU's inaugural Humanities Week
September 15, 2021
This year, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University will host the inaugural Humanities Week
Panel: 9/11 changed how America viewed itself and its core values
September 9, 2021
In the days that followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush addressed the nation, framing the incident as an attack on freedom and democracy — both concepts that are widely recognized as pillars of the American way of life — and an act of war.
How 9/11 changed the ways these faculty teach and research
September 9, 2021
From the global response to terrorism and the subversive weaponization of narratives, to the evolution of crisis management and guardians of civil liberties — 9/11 forced us to think differently; to rise to new challenges; and to confront the vulnerabilities of our democracy.
July
ASU faculty research intersection of Japanese, Indigenous American displacement in US history
July 19, 2021
Seventy-five years ago, in the summer of 1946, President Harry Truman signed an executive order to officially terminate the War Relocation Authority (WRA). The WRA had been created four years prior in 1942 to move Japanese Americans from the West Coast and into involuntary confinement during World War II.
Narrative Storytelling Initiative founder Steven Beschloss takes on new role at ASU
July 15, 2021
After nearly six years at Arizona State University, award-winning writer and journalist Steven Beschloss is taking on a new role within the university as a professor of practice in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the College of Global Futures.
June
June 28, 2021
A team of Arizona State University researchers from the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, the School of Life Sciences and the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict was recently awarded funding by the John Templeton Foundation to research how ideas of craftwork and soulwork can transform laboratory culture.
ASU Regents Professor joins American Society for the Study of Religion
June 25, 2021
Regents' Professor Stephen Bokenkamp, a faculty member in the School of International Letters and Cultures and the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University, first began studying Daoism as a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley.
Singles in the Christian religion
June 14, 2021
What motivates people? It’s a question asked by many of us, and Arizona State University alumna Anna Broadway is no different. This question has driven her to where she is today, a published writer and researcher, with her most recent credits including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
April
April 23, 2021
Even over Zoom, Arizona State University graduate Cameron Vega’s poise and professionalism is notable. Like many students this year, he has had some practice using the virtual platform. Just as his semester interning for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., was getting underway in the spring of 2020, the pandemic hit.
Political science and global studies major recognized as spring 2021 Dean’s Medalist
April 15, 2021
Bianca Navia has been named The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences spring 2021 Dean’s Medalist for the School of Politics and Global Studies and will graduate this May with degrees in political science and global studies.
ASU center to explore roots of American's distrust of science
April 2, 2021
Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, in conjunction with Beyond Secularization: Religion, Science and Technology in Public Life, will host a public lecture on Tuesday, April 6, titled “Science, Religion, and Society: Lessons from the U.S. Case”. The event will be held at 1 p.m. MST and will be streamed live online via ASU Live, YouTube Live and Zoom webinar.
March
Humanities undergrad uses research on Armenia to pen article of awareness
March 24, 2021
The news of the reignited war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region beginning in September left undergraduate student Jaxon Washburn feeling distraught. After serving a church mission in Armenia and making connections with many people there, Washburn worried about the possibility of a second genocide.
ASU center to explore political, spiritual dissent on the dark web
March 19, 2021
On March 23, Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, in conjunction with Beyond Secularization: Religion, Science and Technology in Public Life, will host a public lecture exploring “the dark underbelly of the postsecular”.
Can the 'soul of the nation' be saved?
March 16, 2021
The Project on Ethics in Political Communication at The George Washington University and the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict at Arizona State University are bringing together leading scholars and practitioners for a conversation about what the “soul of the nation” means in theory — and in practice.
February
ASU center aids vulnerable populations affected by pandemic
February 24, 2021
It has been almost a year since the coronavirus spread across the globe, upending individual lives and the operations of businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits and government agencies alike.
During normal times, the ASU Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict would have maintained its focus on advancing research and education on the dynamics of religion and conflict in public life. But in responding to the urgent needs of the past year, the center expanded its outreach to address the needs of some of Arizona’s most vulnerable populations.
'A window into the worlds of others'
February 16, 2021
The humanities encompass everything from history, literature and creative writing to film and media, language and culture, philosophy, linguistics and religion. Some who pursue a degree or a career in the humanities know it is their passion early in their academic journey, while others discover their passion later on.
February 5, 2021
In a time when issues of religion, ethics and science are often challenged inside and outside the academic world, a new conference put on by five academic units at Arizona State University is aiming to facilitate meaningful dialogue and address these topics in a respectful, productive way.
The first-ever Conversations on Religion, Ethics, and Science conference will be held virtually on Feb. 11–12 and is open to international participation.
January
Is America losing its civil religion?
January 22, 2021
A number of factors contributed to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, but perhaps none were more salient or telling of the time in which we live than the overt religious nationalism on display that day, from nuns in traditional, pre-Vatican II habits to one man dressed as someone from the Book of Mormon.
The phenomenon — characterized by an excessive and exclusive allegiance to one nation, often expressed through recognizable symbols from religious traditions — isn’t new to America.
Biden's inaugural address bolsters civil religion
January 21, 2021
Biden's inaugural address acknowledged the many challenges our country faces while also appealing to our nation's values: our collective responsibility to come together to solve problems and preserve American democracy. This articulation, says John Carlson, interim director at the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, draws heavily on the concept of "civil religion."
2020
November
A note on the passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
November 9, 2020
We at the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.
October
ASU professor awarded Davis Center Book Prize
October 30, 2020
Following the 1989-1990 fall of communism in Eastern Europe, new prodemocratic governments were formed after free elections.
New online degree explores the idea of church and state
October 6, 2020
Arizona State University's School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies’ new religious studies bachelor’s degree concentration in religion, politics and global affairs is now available as an online degree.
September
Telling the truth: Fall lecture series focuses on religion, race and democracy
September 28, 2020
This fall, Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, in conjunction with the Recovering Truth: Religion, Journalism, and Democracy in a Post-Truth Era project, will host a series of public conversations with academics, journalists and public pollsters who work on issues of truth, democracy, religion and race in the United States. All events will be held online and are open to the public.
2 ASU Future Security Fellows named in this year’s class of New America National Fellows
September 18, 2020
This week, Arizona State University’s Center on the Future of War welcomed two ASU Future Security Fellows who are a part of New America’s Class of 2021 National Fellows. The highly competitive program, one of the signature programs of the Washington, D.C., think tank, selected 10 individuals out of nearly 400 applicants for the 2020–21 academic year.
September 17, 2020
International religious leader, philosopher and award-winning author Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks spoke to more than 430 people from 13 countries in a virtual discussion on Sept. 10, centered around his latest book, "Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times."
ASU researcher is a finalist for Religion News Association Award
September 9, 2020
Heather Mellquist Lehto, a postdoctoral scholar at the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, earned national recognition for a three-part series documenting a range of perspectives, experiences and commitments among an increasingly diverse and rapidly growing segment of evangelical Christians.
August
ASU faculty awarded over $440K in grants from National Endowment for the Humanities
August 27, 2020
In July, the National Endowment for the Humanities announced it was awarding $30 million in grants to support 238 humanities projects nationwide. Among these projects are two initiatives from Arizona State University faculty within The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Four postdoctoral scholars join ASU Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict
August 18, 2020
Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict’s research impact is getting a boost this fall with the addition of four new postdoctoral scholars. The postdocs are joining two interdisciplinary research teams housed at the center.
July
Rapid relief grants aid Arizona's vulnerable populations
July 24, 2020
In Arizona, some of the communities hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic have been the same communities whose plight often goes unnoticed — refugees, asylum-seekers, DACA recipients, mixed-status migrants and Native American tribes.
ASU researchers launch blog series exploring equitable research practices
July 8, 2020
As public attention has turned to systemic inequities in institutional cultures like those in police forces, medical care, school systems and food production, some researchers at Arizona State University are turning their attention to academic culture to explore how researchers might embody more equitable research practices.
April
History student overcomes obstacles to graduate with master’s degree and honors
April 20, 2020
Madeline Stull has made the most of her Arizona State University education. The Scottsdale native always knew she wanted to go to graduate school and saw Barrett, The Honors College and the 4+1 program as opportunities that were too good to pass up.
Sound & Solidarity: Lessons from Billie Holiday in the time of COVID-19
April 15, 2020
From opera collectively sung on the balconies of apartments in Rome to New York DJs broadcasting live sets via Zoom, one theme remains constant: music holds the power to connect and soothe us in this time of anxiety.
April 13, 2020
Who wrote Malcolm X’s autobiography? The obvious answer is Malcolm X.
But, according to Keith Miller, it’s not that simple.
April 2, 2020
With some of the most important religious holidays quickly approaching, religious communities all over the country are coming to the realization that things will feel a lot different this time around.
March
Religion, sports, and public life in the midst of a pandemic
March 30, 2020
The spread of the coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed the contours of social interaction, as mass gatherings of people have been cancelled under strict public health recommendations that individuals practice self-isolation and social distancing.
A note from the Center: Our mission in the time of quarantine
March 15, 2020
What an unnerving and unprecedented time this is for us all. Caught up in a rapidly evolving public health crisis, many of us feel as though we’ve woken up in a new world, one saturated in uncertainty and anxiousness.
February
ASU features at National Science Foundation 70th anniversary symposium
February 4, 2020
In July 1945, as the end of WWII approached, an electrical engineer named Vannevar Bush, who had overseen government research during the war, put forth a report at the request of then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The report made the case for continued federal support of civilian research, marking the beginning of modern science policy and serving as the precursor to the creation of the National Science Foundation in 1950.
January
Climate change, the apocalypse and skepticism
January 31, 2020
Since the 1960s, evangelicals have increasingly pushed back against what they see as the marginalization of Christianity from public life. It is then not surprising that when a group of pro-environmental evangelical leaders began a campaign calling for action against climate change in the mid-2000s, leaders and pundits associated with the Christian right countered the movement with a campaign on their own, portraying climate activists as allies of the "secular elites," whom they long blamed for American Christianity's decline.
Seed grants break new research ground
January 2, 2020
Apocalypticism. Climate Change. Moral Capital. Refugees.
With a combination of Center seed funding and external support, the Center is launching a series of faculty seminars and research projects to address these and other challenges. These new projects engage faculty and graduate students in collaborations that cut across disciplinary boundaries and advance new scholarship and public engagement.
2019
October
"Donor support funded my honors thesis research in Jerusalem," Story by BrieAnna Frank
October 10, 2019
BrieAnna Frank, a Barrett Honors student majoring in journalism and political science, was an undergraduate research fellow with the Center in 2017-18.
Narratives can connect even the most disparate groups of people
October 10, 2019
A lot had changed in the 15 years since Earl Swift last set foot on Tangier Island, located in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay.
September
New grants advance focus on truth in public life
September 25, 2019
Americans today are being assailed by the rise of “fake news” and a growing combativeness around democratic principles, including freedom of the press and religion, that have long been considered settled. From basic facts to fundamental democratic values, a lot seems up for grabs.
The relationship between religion, science and technology
September 24, 2019
The Pew Research Center has reported that more and more people identify themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” How can this be explained in our highly technoscientific age? Since technoscience is taken to be “secular,” how can we make sense of the relationship between our radical technoscientific advances and our search for “spirituality”?
Survival, resilience and rediscovery
September 18, 2019
Naruro Hassan took a seat among 10 other undergraduate research fellows in John Carlson’s “Inquiry into Religion and Conflict” course one sweltering morning in August 2017, a student like all others who qualified for the program, but also a student unlike any other in class. Carlson, interim director of Arizona State University’s Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, recalls Hassan’s colorful hijab, bright red lipstick and Converse sneakers peeking out from the rim of her floor-length skirt. Maria Dooling, one of the fellows, remembers her booming voice, commanding attention.
August
Learn to discuss the hard topics
August 7, 2019
A new course at Arizona State University aims to empower students to become wiser and more effective interpreters of news about the intersection of religion and politics, as well as other hot-button issues, both as audiences and as content creators.
July
Experiencing awe from science influences beliefs about God
July 18, 2019
Most Americans believe science and religion are incompatible, but a recent study suggests that scientific engagement can actually promote belief in God.
June
Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict names a director of strategic initiatives
June 7, 2019
Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict has named Tracy Fessenden as the first director of strategic initiatives.
Fessenden is a professor of religious studies for the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies and spent the last academic year as the school’s interim director.
May
ASU Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict celebrates student achievement
May 4, 2019
Parents, friends, faculty, and academic advisors gathered on April 25 to celebrate the accomplishments of students honored at Arizona State University’s Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict’s annual awards lunch.
The event recognized a range of student achievements: fellows who completed the Undergraduate Research Program; winners of the “Friends of the Center” research scholarship; and undergraduates who earned a Certificate in Religion and Conflict.
April
Center hosts national meeting on religion, journalism, and international affairs
April 15, 2019
“Journalism is the first rough draft of history.” These words, attributed to former Washington Post publisher Philip L. Graham, point to the significant role that journalism plays in society, a role that has become all the more complicated by new media platforms.
Envisioning peace: Equipping students with new visions for peace
April 13, 2019
What is peace? How do historical, philosophical, religious, and political approaches shape our understanding of it? Are war and peace entangled concepts? Is women’s peace different than men’s peace?
These are the questions that students explore in “Envisioning Peace,” an undergraduate course taught by Yasmin Saikia, professor of history in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies and Hardt-Nickachos Chair in Peace Studies at the Center.
March
Religion and democracy, at home and abroad
March 29, 2019
Our phones, TVs, computers and tablets provide a constant stream of media reports on civic unrest erupting in other countries.
Pair of ASU events feature scholars discussing how to safeguard democracy
March 15, 2019
Recent political climates at home and abroad may leave many feeling increasingly insecure about the future of democracy.
February
The College debuts at Arizona State University
February 27, 2019
Editor's note: This story is being highlighted in ASU Now's year in review
Human dignity in post-conflict spaces: oral history as a tool for peace
February 12, 2019
Caught in the violence of war in the mid 1990s, Bosnian Muslims became the victims of a brutal and bloodthirsty purge at the hands of Serbian forces.
January
Growing new ideas with seed grants
January 27, 2019
Picture a shared dinner table as a venue for increasing awareness about the immigrant experience.
Can innovation exist without soul work?
January 25, 2019
Gaymon Bennett explores modernity’s role in contemporary religion and biotechnology. He says innovation requires soul work, which, in turn, requires one to embrace the shadow.
2018
December
Religious studies alum stresses the importance of humanities and social sciences
December 17, 2018
The study of religion is becoming more prominent as countries around the world continue to connect with one another.
ASU's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict celebrates 15 years
December 4, 2018
In the summer of 2002, when Michael Crow became president of Arizona State University, he set about restructuring the university in a way that eschewed the traditional siloing of educational departments and emphasized cross-disciplinary collaboration and inquiry.
October
Journalists visit ASU to discuss 'Religion in the Civic Sphere'
October 17, 2018
Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict interim director John Carlson warned audience members at an event Tuesday evening on Arizona State University's Tempe campus that they’d better be having a late dinner.
“Many of us grew up being told not to talk about religion and politics at dinner, so I’m going to assume we’re all eating late tonight, because that’s exactly what we’re going to do now,” he said. “Tonight, we’ll be exploring the role religion plays in public life — the good, the bad and the ugly — with a focus on the civic sphere.”
ASU prof says changes to canon law could make it easier to hold priests accountable for sexual abuse
October 12, 2018
The 2002 landmark reporting of The Boston Globe that uncovered pervasive child sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic priests opened the veritable floodgates to a torrent of parallel accounts.
August
Preparing the future for peace
August 29, 2018
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”
Strengthening civil society: Center and Cronkite School partner on new initiative
August 28, 2018
The Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, in partnership with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, was awarded a grant by the Henry Luce Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies Program in Religion, Journalism and International Affairs. The title of this new initiative is “Religion, Journalism, and Democracy: Strengthening Vital Institutions of Civil Society.”
Whatever happened to the Taliban?
August 23, 2018
Whatever happened to the Taliban? They, along with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, seem to have slipped from the headlines.
In the future, you will be forever
August 3, 2018
A Hollywood director fired for comments tweeted a decade ago.
June
Family separation at the border: What is religion’s place in civil law?
June 21, 2018
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced plans to end the policy of separating immigrant children from parents who cross illegally into the United States.
Untangling the knots of a complex world
June 8, 2018
Arizona State University alumna Sarah Lords’ path to choosing global studies as a degree can be traced back to her parents.
May
ASU Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict celebrates year's best students
May 17, 2018
They interviewed an award-winning journalist who had just returned from Syria. They learned how religious conflict ushered in the modern system of states from a political scientist.
April
ASU scholars save priceless manuscripts from obscurity
April 23, 2018
Editor's note: This story is being highlighted in ASU Now's year in review
March
ASU mourns the loss of David Lincoln, benefactor and ASU trustee
March 19, 2018
Many people believe in the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Voices from the ASU Womyn's Coalition
March 4, 2018
For historian Yasmin Saikia, Women's History Month is an opportunity to recognize all women, in addition to trailblazing historical figures.
February
It's 'the life of the mind' for ASU professor
February 6, 2018
It might sound contrived, given her area of expertise, but to ASU Jewish studies Director Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, a career in academia is like a secular version of a religious commitment.
January
The relationship between religion and politics is fraught but necessary
January 29, 2018
Jan. 20 marked one year since Donald Trump became president of the United States.
2017
December
ASU professors say military is off when reporting civilian deaths
December 8, 2017
Update: Since this story was originally published, Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal have won two journalism awards for their story, "The Uncounted": the 2018
October
At 500, Protestant Reformation still influencing our world
October 16, 2017
It is hard to imagine that something that happened 500 years ago could still influence world events today, but that is exactly what many historians, political scientists and religious studies scholars argue when it comes to the Protestant Reformation.
August
ASU prof on the relationship between religion and the media
August 10, 2017
The ideals of a presidential candidate, the histories of persecuted peoples and the motives behind terror attacks are all things that can be better understood with a knowledge of the religions that influence them. That knowledge is especially important for those whose task it is to communicate those ideals, histories and motives to a vast audience.
June
Save the Date - Sep. 28, 2017 - In Search of Our Better Angels
June 18, 2017
Philip S. Gorski (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) is a comparative-historical sociologist at Yale University with strong interests in theory and methods and in modern and early modern Europe. His empirical work focuses on topics such as state-formation, nationalism, revolution, economic development and secularization with particular attention to the interaction of religion and politics. Other current interests include the philosophy and methodology of the social sciences and the nature and role of rationality in social life.
Religion and media grant awarded to ASU
June 9, 2017
Arizona State University is the recipient of a grant funded by the Henry Luce Foundation to promote greater interaction between religion scholars and journalists who report and write about religion
May
May 12, 2017
Sun Devil Giving Day is Arizona State University's annual, university-wide day of giving.
Student Accomplishments Celebrated at Awards Luncheon
May 11, 2017
Each year faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and community members gather together to celebrate the accomplishments of students affiliated with the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict at it
ASU professor honored for contributions to religion and conflict scholarship
May 2, 2017
From cultural influence and global insight to interdisciplinary learning, the study of religion has an extraordinary impact on some of society’s most complex and challenging problems.
April
"Horizon" Interview with Anand Gopal and John Carlson
April 21, 2017
Anand Gopal, journalist and incoming assistant research professor, and John Carlson, associate director, appeared on PBS's Horizon to discussed US foreign policy, ISIS,
April 18, 2017
Sun Devil Giving Day is Arizona State University's annual, university-wide day of giving.
March
Religion and Social Change: A Q & A on How MLK’s Letter Holds Impact 54 Years Later
March 3, 2017
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” was written by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963 following his imprisonment for peacefully marching in conscientious opposition to a judge’s injunction
ASU Team Explores the Intersection of Technology, Science and Spirituality
March 3, 2017
One of the fundamental commitments of today’s most powerful research institutions is to imagine that scientific knowledge and spiritual belief are meticulously segregated.
February
Event Video Available: "Religion and Democracy in a New Global Era"
February 22, 2017
Unable to attend our Feb. 13th lecture with Shadi Hamid?
January
Prizewinning journalist joins the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict
January 22, 2017
Prizewinning journalist and sociologist Anand Gopal has recently joined the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict as an assistant research professor.
Save the Date - Feb. 13, 2017 - Religion & Democracy in a New Global Era
January 9, 2017
The Center's first event of 2017 will feature Shadi Hamid, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute. Hamid will deliver a free public lecture at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb.
2016
December
Center's 2016 Annual Report Available Online
December 18, 2016
The Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict's 2016 annual report is available online.
ASU on National Science Foundation’s top 10 list for research expenditures
December 12, 2016
We can all rest easier knowing what keeps Carolyn Forbes up at night.
October
ASU lecture to discuss religion and violence in stadium sports
October 28, 2016
How do religion and violence factor into sporting events?
Author discusses decline of white Christian population in U.S.
October 20, 2016
Is the United States a post-white Christian nation?
State Department special representative inspires future diplomats at ASU
October 14, 2016
Shaun Casey, sp
Bridging cultures through storytelling
October 13, 2016
How do you break down cultural stereotypes? For two groups in the U.S. and Pakistan, it was through storytelling.
October 5, 2016
Universities play a crucial role in the global acceptance of religious diversity and the bolstering of global literacy, according to the U.S.
September
September 12, 2016
To better understand conflict and peace around the world, Arizona State University students spent their summers underneath the stars of the Appalachian Trail, in deserted Dushanbe cafes during Rama
September 8, 2016
Last year, more than 2,400 people were trampled during the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, called the hajj.
Terrorism and the public consciousness
September 8, 2016
Messy politics, a lack of understanding of religious differences and over-heated political rhetoric all combine to create confusion and an unnecessary fear of terrorism, according to panel of ASU e
August
ASU event examines post-9/11 America
August 22, 2016
This September marks 15 years since the events of 9/11. Has the passage of time changed how we remember the attacks and what they mean to us personally and as a nation?
Software scrapes big data for big danger
August 9, 2016
By now, the wearying trope of internet outrage is a global touchstone, especially when it comes to "angry young men."
July
ASU professor, guest speaker featured on Al Jazeera debate
July 19, 2016
Lawrence Krauss, Arizona State University physics professor and creator of ASU's Origins Project, was recently featured on the Al Jazeera news network as part of their Upfront episode, “Is religion
May
Exploring the writings of Malcolm X
May 31, 2016
Most pre-dental undergrads don’t conduct research on Malcolm X. But most pre-dental undergrads aren’t Sarah Syed.
ASU center hosts conference on future of Pakistan studies
May 25, 2016
On April 28-29, Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict hosted "
ASU students to conduct religion and conflict research throughout world with center's scholarships
May 24, 2016
How do religion and gender intersect with domestic violence in Greece and Fiji? What can we learn about peace building from the Emerging Church Movement in the American South?
Religion and Conflict ceremony recognizes student achievement
May 23, 2016
The Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict hosted its annual student awards on May 3, recognizing those students who completed its Undergraduate Research Fellows Program and Undergraduate Ce
April
ASU lecture to examine bioethics, animal studies, race and postcolonialism
April 7, 2016
Recent advances in biotechnologies, such as the completion of the human genome project and genetic editing, have not only raised ethical questions about their use and effects on humans, but also un
March
ASU lecture to explore overlap between humanitarianism, human rights
March 29, 2016
Over the past 20 years, the idea of human rights has become central in discussions about humanitarianism.
The effect of terrorism on politics
March 25, 2016
The March 22 attacks in Brussels served as yet another grisly reminder that we live in a world where the threat of terrorist attacks has become something of a new normal.
March 8, 2016
Editor's note: Due to family reasons professor Sohail Hashmi is unable to come to Tempe at this time.
February
Discussing the Syrian refugee situation
February 23, 2016
The number of people displaced from their homes worldwide has reached record levels, with most of the public attention focused on the nearly 4.4 million Syrians who were forced to flee their nation
Expert on war and the politics of human rights to address refugee crisis at home and abroad
February 16, 2016
“The age of humanitarian intervention to protect civilians is not over, because civilians keep dying,” Michael Ignatieff wrote in 2014.
January
ASU lecture to discuss 'Undocumented Literature on the Mexican-US border'
January 29, 2016
How do we classify texts produced by undocumented authors who no longer identify as Mexican, yet have no officially recognized status in the United States?
Theologian and author Harvey Cox to lecture on 'The Future of Faith'
January 25, 2016
“For the last four decades, Harvey Cox has been the leading trend spotter in American religion."
2015
December
Making global progress through mutual exchange
December 31, 2015
Hands go up in a crowded ASU lecture hall when a social justice course instructor asks who has ever experienced prejudice.
November
November 10, 2015
For years John Carlson and Scott Ruston worked just steps from each other, but their paths never crossed.
October
Renowned author Karen Armstrong to lecture on religion, violence
October 9, 2015
"Religion has been the cause of all the major wars in history."
February
Neuroscientist to present views on religion, conflict at ASU lecture
February 6, 2015
How does an accomplished neuroscientist and best-selling writer of fiction view issues of religion and conflict?
January
Professor emeritus elevates peace studies at ASU
January 1, 2015
ASU professor emeritus Annanelle (Ann) Hardt, along with her late hus