Moving Beyond the 'Two Faces' of Interfaith Engagement

CURA Colloquium with Tanya B. Schwarz, Ph.D, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Global Politics and Societies Hollins University The paper intervenes in debates that generalize interfaith engagements and often don't take into account the myriad internal and external factors like how specific organizations and initiatives understand concepts like "interfaith," the influence of organizational leaders on goals/strategies, international norms on multiculturalism, gender issues, etc.-- that shape interfaith encounters. The paper aims to break apart some of the assumptions about the inherent benefits or problems of interfaith engagement and, instead, investigates how and when such encounters are materially or ethically beneficial or problematic. Email CURA@bu.edu for the paper in advance.