The Boniuk Institute recently hosted its third annual Scholarly Convening on Religious Violence and Religious Pluralism, bringing together scholars and practitioners from around the world to explore how societies can address religious conflict conflict while fostering religious pluralism.
Held at Rice University, the three-day conference, Religious Conflict and Religious Pluralism in Public Life: Toward a New Agenda, featured more than two dozen speakers from leading institutions across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Participants examined topics ranging from interfaith engagement and religious freedom to mental health, education, public policy, and the challenges of navigating religious diversity in an increasingly polarized world.
Institute Director Elaine Howard Ecklund described the gathering as both "timely and urgent," emphasizing the need for research that not only deepens understanding of religion's role in public life but also contributes to practical solutions for communities and policymakers.
The convening builds on the Institute's broader effort to develop a renewed global research agenda on religious violence and pluralism. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with practitioners, religious leaders, and community organizations, the Institute aims to generate research that advances scholarship while helping create more tolerance and pluralistic societies.