The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
Pluralism Project Conferences, Symposia, and Seminars
Events
The following events have been sponsored by the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. Some of the events have been co-sponsored with other organizations; others have been “interfaculty” events, engaging scholars throughout the Harvard community; and still others feature the work of Pluralism Project student researchers, affiliates, and women’s networks members. You can also view events by type: affiliate, civic, interfaculty, interfaith, international, student conferences, and women’s networks.
"Crisis in Faith: Zoroastrians Today"
On April 18, 2008, the Pluralism Project hosted a partial screening and panel discussion of Tenaz Dubash's documentary film, "Crisis in Faith: Zoroastrians Today" at Harvard Divinity School. "Crisis in Faith" is a personal journey about Tenaz's quest for the truth around the controversies facing followers of her faith today, focusing on the dwindling number of Zoroastrians worldwide and the treatment of Zoroastrians as a religious minority in Iran. The film was shot in Boston, Chicago, Iran, India, New York, and Vancouver. Tenaz was present for a panel discussion with scholars Dina McIntyre (retired lawyer and member of the Zoroastrian community), Dr. Oktor Skjaervo (Harvard University), Dr. Nasswan Dossabhoy (Harvard Zoroastrian Association & Endicott College) and Dr. Diana Eck (Harvard University & The Pluralism Project). The event was co-sponsored by the Pluralism Project, ZAGBA (Zoroastrian Association of the Greater Boston Area), and the Zoroastrian Associations of Harvard and MIT.
Interfaith and Inter-religious Dialogue at Connecticut College
On April 9, 2008, Assistant Director Kathryn Lohre joined former interns Kate DeConinck and Nour Goda for an evening of sharing and discussion on Interfaith and Inter-religious Dialogue at Connecticut College. The event was sponsored by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life at Connecticut College, and was hosted by the Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life, Claudia Highbaugh. Kathryn gave an introductory presentation about the Pluralism Project, including our work on World Religions in Boston (WRB). Kate and Nour each presented their summer research that contributed to the Hinduism, Islam, and Interfaith sections of WRB, and current research associate and Connecticut College alumna Kimberly Richards presented her work on Religious Diversity News. The event, which included an international dinner and table discussions, was well attended by students, faculty, and staff.
A Dream in Doubt
On March 19, 2008, the Pluralism Project co-sponsored a screening of the documentary, "A Dream in Doubt," presented by the Harvard Graduate School of Education Diversity Innovation Fund and the Committee on the Study of Religion. The film's producer, Preetmohan Singh, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the Interfaith Alliance in Washington, D.C. was present. This award-winning documentary explores the fate of the Sikh-American community in Phoenix, Arizona in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks. It features Rana Sodhi, an Indian immigrant whose turban and beard—articles of his Sikh faith—now symbolize America's new enemy. More information about the film can be found at: www.adreamindoubt.org
Pluralism Project Hosts State Department Delegation from India
On March 13, 2008, the Pluralism Project hosted a State Department delegation from India. The delegation, which was dedicated to exploring interfaith dialogue in the United States, made stops in Washington DC, Houston, Los Angeles, and Louisville before coming to Boston. The group included a professor of Arabic Studies; a president of a peace council that advocates for a modern, secular Islam; a director of several educational institutions that focus on public health issues; and a businessman who promotes education for Muslim children. After meeting with Diana Eck and Pluralism Project staff, they also attended Dr. Eck's course, "Hindu Myth, Image and Pilgrimage," and visited the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School.
Advanced Screening of Constantine's Sword
On March 5, 2008, the Pluralism Project was one of ten cosponsors of an advanced screening of James Carroll's Constantine's Sword, a documentary film directed by Oren Jacoby. According to the film's website,"Constantine's Sword is a compelling personal narrative - a kind of detective story - as one man uncovers the dark areas of his own past, searching for a better future." Author and Boston Globe columnist James Carroll, who co-produced the film, was present to answer questions following the screening, which took place at Boston University. Organized by Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, the screening was also co-sponsored by the American Jewish Committee Greater Boston Chapter, Boston Theological Institute, Brandeis University Interfaith Chaplaincy and BUILD Fellows Program, Hebrew College, Jewish Community Relations Committee, Marsh Chapel at Boston University, Massachusetts Board of Rabbis, the Massachusetts Council of Churches, the Paulist Center, and the RUAH Spirituality Institute.
Religious Pluralism in a Time of Extremism: The Campus Responds
On March 2, 2008, the Pluralism Project participated in a day-long conference at Tufts University entitled, "Religious Pluralism in a Time of Extremism: The Campus Responds." Keynote speakers included Diana L. Eck, Mohammed Abu-Nimer, and Marc Gopin; Victor Kazanjian moderated their discussion on the topic of "The Imperative for Sustaining Dialogue in Difficult Times." Workshops were led by students, faculty, community leaders and activists from organizations in Greater Boston and around the country, and focused on interfaith dialogue, social action, leadership skills, and the media. Pluralism Project Assistant Director Kathryn Lohre screened our documentary film "Acting on Faith: Women's New Religious Activism in America" in one workshop. This conference was hosted by the Campus Dialogues Program, and marked the culmination of a two-year partnernship among campuses at Tufts University, Wellesley College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brandeis University, and the University of Maryland, and supported by the Department of Homeland Security. The goal of the Campus Dialogues Program is to "support the development, implementation, and refinement of programs aimed at reducing intergroup tensions among university students of different religions in the United States."
The Mosque in Morgantown
On December 11, 2007, the Pluralism Project sponsored a rough cut screening of the film, The Mosque in Morgantown, for a select audience of students and scholars. This documentary chronicles the conflict that arises in small-town West Virginia when Asra Nomani, a Muslim feminist, challenges women’s roles at the local mosque. It captures the stories of Nomani and other mosque members as they struggle to shape the future of their community. The film is an entry for viewers into questions about Islam in America, women in Islam, and what it means to be a “moderate” Muslim in America. At the screening, discussion was moderated by Director/Producer Brittany Huckabee, principal of Version One Productions, Inc., and Associate Producer Ann Kim, graduate of Harvard College. The film is scheduled to premiere in fall 2008.
“Palos Hates”: A Mosque Controversy in Palos Heights, Illinois
On the afternoon of November 5, 2007, Mayor Dean Koldenhoven, former mayor of Palos Heights, Illinois spoke with a gathering of about thirty Harvard students at the Center for the Study of World Religions. He is the protagonist in the forthcoming case study, “A Mosque in Palos Heights,” described above. Many of the students who attended this event are part of Dr. Eck’s “Religion in Multicultural America: Case Studies in Religious Pluralism” course this semester, where this case study was examined. Mayor Koldenhoven brought to life his role in the mosque controversy: against popular opinion, he supported the mosque foundation’s plans to purchase a local church. In 2002, he received a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award for his actions. We are grateful to Mayor Dean Koldenhoven for traveling from Palos Heights, Illinois to speak with us and to the Center for the Study of World Religions for sponsoring and hosting this event.
Photographs
Case Studies Workshop
On November 5, 2007, the Pluralism Project convened a case studies workshop at
the Center for the Study of World Religions. Twenty Harvard faculty and doctoral
candidates from Harvard Graduate School, Harvard Divinity School and the
Kennedy School of Government participated in a workshop on the case
study method. As an example, Dr. Eck utilized the case developed by our
senior researcher, Ellie Pierce, entitled "A Mosque in Palos Heights."
This case explores the problems and promise of pluralism in Palos
Heights, Illinois where a mosque foundation was offered $200,000 by the
city council to walk away from a real estate deal with a local church.
Many thanks to the Center for the Study of World Religions for their
sponsorship of this important work and their gracious hospitality in
hosting this workshop.
Photographs
Women's Interfaith Initiatives After 9/11
On September 28-29, 2007, we held a seminar on "Women's Interfaith Initiatives After 9/11" at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Women who established selected women's interfaith organizations formed after 9/11 were invited to join us, our faculty colleagues, and women from other religious and interfaith organizations, for two days of presentations and discussion. In addition, we explored the models and methodologies at play, and considered the relationship of these new organizations to the women's and interfaith movements. We are very grateful to the Radcliffe Institute for making this exploratory seminar possible, and to all of the participants who invested their time and energy towards new collaborations. For more information, see: http://www.pluralism.org/events/womeninterfaith/index.php
2007 Summer Research Symposium
On August 1, 2007, our summer interns presented their work on revising and updating World Religions in Boston: A Guide to Communities and Resources in a research symposium held at Harvard's Barker Center for the Humanities. Guests at the symposium included religious and lay leaders from the many religious communities and centers that were profiled, as well as Harvard faculty and friends of the Project. The symposium was covered in The Boston Globe.
Interfaith Academies for Religious Leaders
In late June 2007, Ellie Pierce, senior researcher at the Pluralism Project, traveled to Kansas City, Missouri for the Interfaith Academies for Religious Leaders. These academies, which were a collaborative effort of The Pluralism Project, Religions for Peace-USA, Saint Paul School of Theology, and the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council, were an opportunity for religious leaders and emerging religious leaders alike to learn more about other faiths and engaging across faith traditions. Ellie taught a case study she has written on Palos Heights, Illinois.
TIDE: The Wave of Change Conference
On June 26, 2007, the Pluralism Project sponsored a day-long conference organized by Interfaith Action’s Youth Leadership Program in Sharon, Massachusetts. This day-long conference, called “Teenage Interfaith Diversity Education (TIDE): The Wave of Change Conference,” was held at Harvard Divinity School. High school youth from Sharon led workshops, activities, and dialogue sessions designed to equip other youth participants with the skills they need to engage with religious difference in their own communities. While most participants were from the Greater Boston area, there were also participants from New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Maine, and Rhode Island. There was a simultaneous track for adults accompanying these youth, either as youth leaders or as parents/guardians.
Sikh-ing Harmony: An Evening of Art, Music, Film, and Dialogue
On April 11, 2007, the Pluralism Project co-sponsored an event with the Sikh Council on Religion and Education and The Dialogue Forum. “Sikh-ing Harmony: An Evening of Art, Music, Film and Dialogue Reflecting on the Experience of Sikh-Americans in a Post-9/11 Era” featured photography by Gabriel Brown, Sartaj Singh’s film, “Sikh on the Street,” and the children’s kirtan group from the Milford Gurdwara. The Sikh-ing Harmony photography exhibit documents a day in the life of Satnam Singh, who lives and works in the Boston area. The exhibit will remain at the Pluralism Project as a permanent installation, and you can also view it online as a slide show.
Islam: Scholarship and Practice in the United States
On March 1, 2007, the Pluralism Project hosted a State Department delegation of scholars from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria at Harvard University. Their visit was a continuation of a study-tour which began last year titled, “Islam: Scholarship and Practice in the United States.” Led by Father Nabil Haddad, executive director of the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center in Amman, Jordan, and sponsored by WorldBoston, the tour also made stops in DC and Philadelphia. The tour aims to convey an understanding of the role of religion in American public life; to broaden awareness of the study of religion, specifically Islam, in the United States; and to explore the compatibility of religious practice and democratic processes in a multi-religious society. During their visit with the Pluralism Project, they were particularly interested in the role academia plays in influencing the American media's portrayal of Islam. For more information about the delegation's visit to the United States, visit http://www.worldboston.org/Imams.htm
The Pluralism Project has partnered with StoryCorps, the "national project to instruct and inspire people to record each others' stories in sound," to include stories from diverse faith traditions in Boston. This massive oral history project now includes recordings of Research Associate Deonnie Moodie interviewing Affiliate Valarie Kaur on growing up Sikh in America, and Dr. Imam Talal Eid and his daughter Feda Eid on being Muslim in the U.S. You may listen to these and other stories from Bostonians online if you missed them when they aired on National Public Radio's Morning Edition. Other participants included: Vijay Yanamadala and Neel Butala, of Dharma, Harvard's Hindu organization; Imam Salih Yucel of the Boston Dialogue Foundation, and his daughter, Esma Yucel; Dr. Nasswan Dossabhoy and Parastu Dubash, of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater Boston; Ji Hyang Sunim, the Buddhist Chaplain at Wellesley, and her friend Alex Tsouvalas; Kumar Nochur and Saraswathy Nochur, of the Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland, MA; and Anjuli Dhindhwal and Chris Byrnes, Harvard Divinity School students and Pluralism Project Research Associates.
Faith Quilts Exhibition at Harvard Divinity School, October-December 2006 (PDF)
Approximately 10 of the 57 quilts, representing a range of faith traditions, will be on display in Andover Chapel at HDS from Monday, October 2, through mid-December 2006, and may be viewed when the chapel is free of classes and other group meetings. The Pluralism Project has been a partner and supporter of the Faith Quilts Project. Read more at our report on the Grand Exhibition of the Faith Quilts in April 2006.. Andover Chapel is located on the second floor of Andover Hall on the campus of Harvard Divinity School. For more on the Faith Quilts, visit www.faithquilts.org. For more on Religious and Spiritual Life at Harvard Divinity School, please visit www.hds.harvard.edu/spiritual/index.html. Finally, for directions to HDS, please visit www.hds.harvard.edu/about_hds/directions.html.
On October 13, 2006, The Pluralism Project and the Women’s Studies in Religion Program co-sponsored “Jerusalem Women Speak: Three Women, Three Faiths, One Shared Vision.” This event, held at Harvard Divinity School, brought together three women from Israel/Palestine to share their stories, their struggles, and their hopes. Speakers included Ghada Ageel, a Muslim Palestinian from Khan Younis Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip; Shireen Khamis, a Christian Palestinian from Beit Jala in the West Bank; and Rela Mazali, a Jewish Israeli from Herzila on Israel’s Mediterranean Coast. Jerusalem Women Speak is an annual tour coordinated by Partners for Peace.
2006 Summer Research Symposium
On August 15, 2006, the summer research of our student staff and summer interns culminated in a research symposium held at Harvard's Barker Center for the Humanities. An intense morning of presentations covered a wide range of topics including Muslim artists and activism, religious pluralism in Malaysia and Indonesia, faith bloggers, the role of the New York City Council regarding religious pluralism, women's interfaith initiatives and more. Reports on the ICNA-MAS, Kaur Voices, JAINA and Young Global Leaders conferences were also presented.
On May 6-7, 2006, the Pluralism Project hosted a preview and director's cut screening of Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath at the Harvard Film Archive. Writer/Producer Valarie Kaur, an affiliate of the Pluralism Project and a master's candidate at Harvard Divinity School, and Director/Producer Sharat Raju were on hand to answer audience questions. The auditorium of the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts was filled to capacity with artists, academics, activists, and citizens from around greater Boston. The film premiered on September 15, 2006 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Living Islam Out Loud: A Conversation with Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur and Sarah Eltantawi
On May 2, 2006, Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur and Sarah Eltantawi joined the Pluralism Project for a luncheon discussion. Abdul-Ghafur is the editor of LIVING ISLAM OUT LOUD: American Muslim Women Speak, a book which features 15 American Muslim women dealing with the complexities of forging their own identities while playing powerful roles in public life. Sarah Eltantawi contributed to the book and is a cofounder of the Progressive Muslim Union of North America and from 2001-2004 served as Communications Director for the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Washington, DC. The speakers drew out a lively discussion among the large group convened to hear from and about Muslim women who "don't remember a time when they weren't both American and Muslim." As Saleemah put it, "Now more than ever, the world needs to hear our voices."
Voices of Liberal Islam in Indonesia
On April 17, 2006, the Pluralism Project sponsored an interfaculty luncheon discussion titled "Voices of Liberal Islam in Indonesia" with two young and prominent Islamic thinkers, Ulil Abshar Abdallah and Sukhidi Mulyadi. Abdallah is the founder of Liberal Islam Network, a leading Islamic organization which promotes the notion of a liberal Islam in Indonesia. In 2002 Abdallah and members of the organization were given a fatwa death sentence by Javanese clerics due to their writings on pluralism. Abdallah is currently pursuing graduate studies at Boston University. Mulyadi is an affiliate of the Liberal Islam Network, and he is currently a doctoral student at Harvard. Mulyadi has published extensively in Indonesian as well as international journals. Their presentations provoked lively discussion that touched upon topics like the role of shari'ah and the state, the role of Islam in Indonesia, and religious pluralism.
Chandra Muzaffar Lecture on "Emergent Asia: Whither Religion?"
On April 4, 2006, the Pluralism Project co-sponsored a talk by Chandra Muzaffar at Harvard Divinity School's Center for the Study of World Religions entitled, "Emergent Asia: Whither Religion?" Dr. Muzaffar is a leading human rights activist, author, and teacher. He is the president of the International Movement for a Just World, an NGO in Kuala Lumpur that addresses the challenges to social justice and human dignity in global politics. His latest book is Global Ethic or Global Hegemony? During his Cambridge visit, Dr. Muzaffar also participated in a dinner seminar with students and faculty on "Religious Pluralism in Malaysia."
Christian Palestinian Peacemaker Jean Zaru Visits Cambridge
On April 2, 2006, Jean Zaru, the presiding clerk of the Ramallah Friends meeting in Ramallah, visited Cambridge to speak at Memorial Church. She also met with a group convened by the Pluralism Project for a luncheon discussion. She is a founding member of Sabeel, an ecumenical liberation theology center in Jerusalem, and the author of A Christian Palestinian Life: Faith and Struggle. In 2003, she participated in the Pluralism Project's conference on “Women, Religion, and Social Change II” as part of our Women's Networks initiative.
Emerging Forms of Muslim Women's Leadership
On March 2, 2006, the Pluralism Project co-sponsored an event with the Kennedy School of Government's Women in Public Policy Program and the Islam in the West Project entitled, "Emerging Forms of Muslim Women's Leadership." The featured speakers included Sarah Eltantawi, media commentator on American Muslim affairs and Middle East policy and doctoral student in religious studies at Harvard University and Raheel Raza, author of Their Jihad...Not My Jihad!: A Muslim Canadian Woman Speaks Out. Ms. Raza was also the first Muslim woman to lead congregational Friday prayers in Canada. In a Q&A session, the participants explored questions of Muslim women's leadership. A reception and book signing followed the discussion, which drew more than 75 people from the Harvard community and the greater Boston area.
Security and Civil Rights: Muslim Army Chaplain James Yee
On February 28, 2006, former Muslim Chaplain and U.S. Army Captain James Yee spoke at Harvard, sponsored by the Harvard Islamic Society, the Asian-Pacific Law Students Association, and the Pluralism Project. Chaplain Yee served at Guantanamo Bay and spoke of the challenges of learning first-hand about abuses. He responded by authoring policies designed to respect religious rights and security needs. He was accused of espionage and held in solitary confinement; eventually all charges were dropped and his record was cleared. His recent book is entitled For God and Country.
Eastern Religions Come to Western Pennsylvania
On February 10, 2006, the Pluralism Project welcomed affiliate Dr. Stuart Chandler of Indiana University of Pennsylvania to present on his work, "Eastern Religions Come to Western Pennsylvania." This interfaculty event was co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. Dr. Chandler's project, which is printed in booklet form, was also completed as an exhibition organized by the University Museum, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Center for the Study of Religion in Pennsylvania and The Pluralism Project at Harvard University.
Salman Ahmad South Asian Quake Benefit
On November 29, 2005, the Pluralism Project co-hosted Salman Ahmad at Harvard for a South Asian Quake Benefit. Ahmad, the lead singer in South Asia's biggest rock band, Junoon, screened It's My Country Too!, his new film about Muslims in America after 9/11. After the screening, a benefit concert for victims and survivors of the South Asian earthquake was held in the Memorial Church at Harvard. Ahmad played a range of music from Sufi-rock to Pakistani folk songs. His stories about his recent trip to the earthquake-torn regions of Pakistan inspired the Harvard community to raise over $7,000 for the Edhi Foundation earthquake relief efforts. The event was co-sponsored by the South Asia Initiative, Office of the Arts, Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Islam in the West Program, Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School, South Asian Association, Dharma, Harvard Islamic Society, Harvard College Interfaith Council, and the Harvard Foundation.
The Pluralism Project at the American Academy of Religion, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 19, 2005: Pluralism Project Bus Tour to various religious centers in Philadelphia
November 20, 2005: Pluralism Project reception
2005 Summer Research Symposium
On August 10, 2005, the Pluralism Project hosted a summer research symposium at its new office on Cambridge Street. Presentations included reports on the intelligent design debates, the air force academy discrimination allegations, and interfaith chapels at various airports across the country. Other research included profiles of local religious centers, and summaries of the top religious diversity news stories from the summer.
Faith and Service: An Interfaith Perspective
On May 17, 2005, the Pluralism Project hosted H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, one of the world's largest NGOs, active in over 140 countries. H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also established the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), which has development projects in 25,300 villages, bringing self-reliance to millions of people. Director Diana Eck moderated a panel discussion following his talk; panelists included Rev. Dr. Dorothy Austin, Dr. Ali Asani, Dr. Francis X. Clooney, S.J. and Bernie Steinberg, president and director of Harvard Hillel.
On April 25, 2005, we premiered a documentary film produced and directed by one of our affiliates, Rachel Antell, and narrated by Dr. Diana L. Eck called Acting on Faith: Women’s New Religious Activism in America. The film was developed out of the conversations that have taken place in our women's networks over the years. It features Dr. Shamita Das Dasgupta, co-founder of Manavi, Inc.; Dr. Leila Al-Marayati, spokesperson for Muslim Women's League; and Mushim Ikeda-Nash, former chairperson of the San Francisco Zen Center Board Committee on Diversity and Multiculturalism and diversity facilitator.
Julia Neuberger
On April 4, 2005, the Pluralism Project hosted an interfaculty luncheon with Baroness Julia Neuberger DBE, rabbi and health care policy expert. Neuberger spoke of her experiences on the commission that reported on Islamophobia in the UK. The conversation included topics such as race relations legislation in the UK, religious schools, and religiously diverse hospital chaplaincies.
February 16, 2005, at the Barker Center, Harvard University
The Pluralism Project at the American Academy of Religion, San Antonio, Texas
November 19, 2004: Pluralism Project reception
November 20, 2004: Pluralism Project Bus Tour to various religious centers in San Antonio
October 27, 2004, at the Barker Center (Room 110), Harvard University
September 13, 2004, at the Holeman Lounge, National Press Club, Washington, D.C.
Interfaculty Working Group
Religious Pluralism in North America: The Southern United States
November 21-22, 2003, in conjunction with the American Academy of Religion Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
Interfaculty Working Group
October 15, 2003, at the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University
Women, Religion, and Social Change II
April 30-May 4, 2003, at Harvard University
Interfaculty Working Group
Religious Pluralism in North America
November 22-23, 2002, in conjunction with the American Academy of Religion Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada.
October 16, 2002, at the Barker Center, Harvard University
Consultation on Women’s Networks in Multi-Religious America
April 27-29, 2002, at the Barker Center, Harvard University, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government
Women’s Networks in Multi-Religious America: After September 11
November 2, 2001, at The Harvard Club of New York City
October 23, 2001, at the Barker Center, Harvard University
Consultation on Women’s Networks in Multi-Religious America
April 28 & 29, 2001, at the Barker Center, Harvard University
Interfaculty Working Group
September 2000 – May 2001, Harvard University
NEH Summer Seminar for School Teachers: World Religions in America
June 26–August 4, 2000, at Harvard University
Symposium on Civil Society and Multireligious America
November 18–20, 1999, at the Barker Center, Harvard University
Consultation on Religious Discrimination and Accommodation
May 17, 1999, at the Barker Center, Harvard University