Day 18 (July 10):      Religion and Global Politics

a)Morning Session - The New Cold War

The focus here is on the US in a global economic and political context.

How does a transnational world impact religion? To what extent are inter-group relations in this country affected by developments elsewhere in the world? Have we moved into a new era in which the clashes of faith traditions have replaced the old war between the U.S. and Communism? Beyond these heavy questions, the session will look at the events of September 11, 2001 and reflect upon ways in which religious sentiments and actions were, and still are expressed. Lecture and discussion.

Speaker:

Mark Juergensmeyer, Director of Global and International Studies, UCSB                        

Assigned Readings:

  Mark Juergensmeyer, Terror in the Mind of God

b)Afternoon Session - Peacemaking

Part of the debate about culture wars is whether the metaphor itself is over-extended. Religion is also bound up with peacemaking. A balanced perspective requires that we look at religiously motivated efforts at reconciling conflicts and envisioning solutions to human problems in keeping with some notion of the common good. Policy institutes have emerged in recent years devoted to advancing religion's peacemaking role, both globally and domestically, and to underscoring the importance of public expression of faith and values in society. A panel will assess this role of religion, its successes and failures.

Panel:

Barbara Bodine, Former Ambassador to Yemen and diplomat-in- residence at UCSB

Brett Wagner, President, California Center for Strategic Studies and Adjunct Fellow at International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, Washington, D.C.

c) Late Afternoon: Visit to the Old Mission of Santa Barbara