In this session, Mayra Rivera, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Religion and Latinx Studies, explores the question, “How may we engage those stories in ways that honor our pasts and open possibilities for different futures?”... Read more about Video: Religion in Times of Earth Crisis: A Procession of Catastrophes

This event is part of the series “LGBTQ+ Rights Under Attack: The Weaponization of Religious Freedom and Free Speech." In this session, "Protecting Against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: A Global Perspective," Victor Madrigal-Borloz presented the “Report of the UN Independent Expert on Protection against Violence and Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity,” which he released in June 2023 while fulfilling his appointment. In conversation with Susie Hayward, Madrigal-Borloz shared his perspective on the global dynamics and trends related to the assault on LGBTQI+ Rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief and how they are feeding in/out of what’s taking place in the United States.... Read more about Video: LGBTQ+ Rights Under Attack: Protecting Against Violence and Discrimination

This discussion followed the screening of Oscar-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's extraordinary film "Wild Life". The film is a story of love, wildness, and restoration in Chile and Argentina, recording the life of Kris Tompkins through an epic decades-spanning love story as wild as the landscapes she dedicated her life to protecting. Special guests in this conversation include Kris Tompkins and Chai Vasarhelyi, with guest curator Geralyn Dreyfous and HDS writer-in-residence Terry Tempest Williams. This event took place November 13, 2023.... Read more about Video: "Wild Life" Film Screening and Discussion

RPL invited Harvard graduate students participating in RPL programs to submit photographs from their summer internship experiences for a judged photo competition. Students were invited to address the theme of religion and public life and a just world at peace while adhering to RPL's ethical photography guidance. Below are the winners of the inaugural competition who were celebrated at an Open House in November. Come by our office on the second floor of Div Hall to see these works in-person.... Read more about The Winning Images of the 2023 RPL Student Photo Competition

This event took place October, 24, 2023. In this conversation, hosted by Religion and Public Life, Dr. Rashid discussed his work and its uses in the classroom, with a particular focus on the Children’s Museum of Manhattan exhibit "America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far?"

Dr. Hussein Rashid is the new Assistant Dean for Religion and Public Life and brought to RPL with a wealth of experience as an educator in public and classroom settings. He has particular expertise in integrating the arts into the study of religion. From work with museums to film, documentary, and comics, Rashid has long engaged the power of images and art to highlight complexity and captivate learners when teaching religious literacy. Among other projects Dr. Rashid executive produced the Times Op-Doc "The Secret History of Muslims in the US" and co-edited a volume on Ms. Marvel, the first Muslim to have her own comic series with Marvel Comics.... Read more about Video: From Ms. Marvel to the Smithsonian: Teaching Religious Literacy through Arts and Popular Culture

This event took place October 18, 2023. Religion and Public Life hosted a dialogue between three scholar-practitioners who drew inspiration from their respective faiths in order to advocate for a just peace. This talk provided an opportunity for a deep discussion of faith-based activism, liberatory readings of theological texts, and the complex and, at times, controversial role of multi-faith and international solidarity in the Palestinian liberation movement during times of crisis.... Read more about Video: Faith in Action: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Solidarity for Just Peace in Times of Conflict