CURA Colloquium

Religion and World Affairs Fellowship 2022-2023
CURA and School of Theology

“Religion and Authoritarianism”

Selected fellows participate in the twice-monthly interdisciplinary Colloquium on Religion and World Affairs to workshop papers. Each fellow presents their own paper as part of the Colloquium and participates in the discussion of papers by other fellows and invited authors from outside BU. The colloquium sessions are open to the general public, with the expectation that all attendees read the papers in advance and that the sessions focus on providing feedback and suggestions to the authors.

The theme for the 2022-2023 Colloquium is “Religion and Authoritarianism.”

After a long period of global democratic expansion, authoritarianism has been on the rise for at least the past decade. In a number of countries, religion has been a key element in the election of autocratic rulers and the spread of authoritarian practices. Whether considering Christian nationalism in places like the United States, Poland, and Hungary or Hindu nationalism in India or the growth of anti-LGBTQ+ laws in places like Uganda and Nigeria, religion has served as a tool in the expansion of populist rule and the exercise of state power. In a few other places, as in apartheid South Africa or Communist Poland or Tunisia during the Arab Spring, religion has served as a tool for resisting authoritarian rule. We welcome papers from any discipline that explore the role of religion in supporting or resisting authoritarianism. In addition to the Colloquium, CURA will sponsor a conference in spring 2023 on the theme, where the fellows will be able to engage with scholars from outside BU presenting on the topic of religion and authoritarianism. Find out More.

To Apply: Submit your proposal to Assistant Director Arlene Brennan by Thursdya, June 30.

If you would like to get on the list to receive copies of the papers to be discussed, contact us here.

Archive of Colloquium Activities

     Profiles for the 2021-2022 CURA Fellows

     Profiles of 2020-2021 CURA Fellows

Profiles of 2019-2020 CURA Fellows

Profiles of 2018-2019 CURA Fellows

Profiles of 2017-2018 CURA Fellows

     Spring 2022 Schedule

     Fall 2021 Schedule 

     Spring 2021 Schedule

     Fall 2020 Schedule

     Spring 2020 Schedule

     Fall 2019 Schedule

Spring 2019 Schedule

Fall 2018 Schedule

Spring 2018 Schedule

Fall 2017 Schedule