By Kate Eubanks
When the Boniuk Institute established the Senior Scholar Award, it sought to recognize work that not only advances academic knowledge but reshapes how religion is understood in public life. On April 3, we look forward to celebrating John Inazu at a public event that promises to be both substantive and celebratory.
Inazu joins past honorees Marla Frederick and Tariq Modood, scholars whose research has shaped conversations about religion, power, identity, and democratic life. Like them, he exemplifies interdisciplinary religious studies at its best, work that is theoretically rigorous and deeply attentive to the civic and institutional realities of plural societies.
Trained in law and engaged across political theory, theology, and the social sciences, Inazu has devoted his career to examine how deeply held differences--especially religious differences--can coexist within democratic frameworks. His scholarship highlights the constitutional foundations of pluralism, particularly freedoms of speech and assembly, and the vital role of civil society institutions. At a time marked by polarization and distrust, he offers a demanding vision of principled pluralism rooted in humility and sustained engagement across disagreement.
Inazu's work models the interdisciplinary inquiry our field requires. Questions of religious conflict, tolerance, and violence are at once legal, cultural, historical, and normative. By holding these dimensions together, he demonstrates how careful scholarship can illuminate urgent public debates without sacrificing nuance.
We warmly invite our Houston-area colleagues to join us at Rice University on Friday, April 3rd from 4-6pm to celebrate a remarkable career and reflect together on the future of religious pluralism in democratic life.