On February 9, the Pluralism Project welcomed Homa S. Tavanger, author of Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be at Home in the World, as a special guest. She spoke to staff and student researchers about the links between global citizenship and the challenges of parenting in multi-religious America. Ms. Tavanger, who is active in the interfaith movement in her native Philadelphia, was in town to speak to a Greater Boston Business Network event, co-sponsored by... Read more about Pluralism Project Hosts Author of Growing Up Global

Pluralism Project case studies were again featured in the 2010 fall minimester course sponsored by Auburn Theological Seminary entitled, “Religious Leadership in a Multifaith World.” Seminary students from six schools in the New York region took part in case discussions of religious and civic leadership, “analyz[ing] each scenario with colleagues from different faith backgrounds, and then reflect[ing] on what kind of leadership they hope to offer in such a situation.”

Pluralism Project Research Director Ellie Pierce worked with American Jewish World Service (AJWS) to collaboratively develop a case study for rabbinical students and rabbis. This case, “In Pursuit of Justice,” explores the resistance faced by a young rabbi who wants to refine her synagogue’s mitzvah program to be more in line with the social justice ethos of the congregation. This case was used in a session at the recent AJWS Rabbinical Students’ Delegation (RSD) Alumni Institute, held in Baltimore, Maryland, February 20-23, 2011 on the theme,... Read more about "In Pursuit of Justice" Case Study Discussed by AJWS Alumni

On February 15, Pluralism Project Research Director Elinor Pierce led a screening of the film Fremont, USA: A City’s Encounter with Religious Diversity. The screening was organized for Dr. Dana Janbek’s “Intercultural Communication” courses at Lasell College and was open to the entire college. Following the screening, Ellie led a Q&A session with audience members, responding to questions at the intersection of religion and communication, and relating the film’s core issues to the context of Greater Boston.

The Pluralism Project was one of several co-sponsors of Harvard Interfaith Awareness Week, February 7-11, coinciding with the first-ever annual UN World Interfaith Harmony Week. On February 9, the Pluralism Project sponsored a screening of Fremont, USA: A City’s Encounter with Religious Diversity. Dr. Diana Eck offered introductory remarks, and Pluralism Project Research Director Elinor Pierce – who co-directed... Read more about Pluralism Project Co-Sponsors Harvard Interfaith Awareness Week

On February 4, Pluralism Project Research Coordinator Erin Loeb presented on the Pluralism Project at a meeting of the Boston Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC).  Erin provided an overview of the work of the Project, followed by an in-depth introduction to World Religions in Greater Boston and Religious Diversity News, explaining their value as tools for religion communicators. The presentation was followed by a discussion about the emerging role of social media in communicating about... Read more about Research Coordinator Presents at Meeting of the Boston Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC)

On October 19, the Pluralism Project co-sponsored an event featuring Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq, following their “Ramadan Road Trip Adventure” through 30 states in 30 days. Their itinerary included visits to Muslim communities in places as diverse Augusta, Maine and Phoenix, Arizona, ending on Eid al-Fitr in Detroit, Michigan. A detailed blog of their adventures can be found at http://30mosques.com/  Ali and Tariq became known for their initial experiment of visiting 30 mosques in 30 days in New York City in 2009. The event was cosponsored by the... Read more about Pluralism Project Co-Sponsors "30 Mosques, 30 States, 30 Days: Ramadan Road Trip Adventure" Event

From November 9-11, the Centennial Gathering of the National Council of Churches and Church World Service took place in New Orleans. A celebration of 100 years of the modern ecumenical movement, hearkening back to its birth at the 1910 World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh, the event convened an array of national and international ecumenical partners to vision the future.  Dr. Eck provided leadership as chair of the NCC’s... Read more about National Council of Churches & Church World Service Centennial Gathering

In November 2010 Summer Fellow Brendan Randall offered a case study workshop to the MIT Addir Fellows during their fall retreat. The Addir program’s mission is “to equip individuals of different faiths with the skills to engage with and understand those from whom they differ; to enhance inter-group relations on the MIT campus, and to deepen individuals’ self-awareness.” The Fellows discussed “Adding Eid,” a Pluralism Project case study about a decision by the Cambridge Public...

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On October 25, 2010, the Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, FL hosted a panel event entitled, “Can We Talk? An Interfaith Conversation to Celebrate the Oneness of Humanity.” The event was a collaborative effort by Baptist Health, OneJax and the Interfaith Council of Jacksonville. Research Director Elinor Pierce was among the... Read more about Research Director Participants in OneJax Interfaith Conversation Panel

On Wednesday, November 10, 2010, Pluralism Project Research Coordinator Erin Loeb participated in the Community Diversity Night at the Brimmer and May School in Chestnut Hill, MA. After two students offered reflections on the role of religion in their lives, Erin presented on the work and research of the Pluralism Project, our Case Study Initiative, and our World Religions in Greater Boston guidebook to approximately 100 teachers, parents, and students. The evening concluded with questions from the audience... Read more about Community Diversity Night at Brimmer and May

On Friday, October 29, 2010, the Pluralism Project hosted its annual reception at the American Academy of Religion. Facilitated by Dr. Diana Eck and Research Director Ellie Pierce, the evening’s program explored new developments in the Case Study Initiative, which seeks to apply the case method to the disputes and dilemmas of multi-religious America. Highlights from our recent case study workshops, courses, and updates from our 2010 Case Study Summer Fellowship program served as a... Read more about "Case Studies of Multireligious America” at the 2010 American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA

On Thursday, October 21, 2010, the Pluralism Project screened the documentary film “Welcome to Shelbyville” for a diverse audience of Harvard students, staff, and faculty, local civic and religious leaders, representatives from immigrant advocacy groups, and members of the Greater Boston community. Directed and produced by Kim Snyder and executive produced by BeCause Foundation in association with Active Voice, "Welcome to Shelbyville takes an intimate look at a southern town as its residents – whites and African... Read more about Welcome to Shelbyville Film Screening and Panel Discussion

On June 9, 2010, the Pluralism Project received a visit from Dr. Caroline Suransky and Prof. Henk Manschot of the Kosmopolis Institute of the University of Humanistic Studies, in Utrecht, the Netherlands. In collaboration with the Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries (Hivos), the Kosmopolis Institute offers the "Promoting Pluralism Knowledge Program," an international academic-practitioner collaborative in India, Indonesia, Uganda, and the Netherlands. The Kosmopolis Institute... Read more about Pluralism Project Hosts Visitors from the Kosmopolis Institute