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International Religious Freedom

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life has assembled a variety of resources on international religious freedom, including event transcripts, Q&As and news clips.

Pew Forum Resources

Q&A Ten Years of Promoting Religious Freedom Through U.S. Foreign Policy Oct. 16, 2008 Oct. 27, 2008 marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the International Religious Freedom Act, which made the promotion of religious freedom a basic aim of U.S. foreign policy. Pew Forum Visiting Senior Fellow Allen Hertzke assesses the law’s impact.

Q&A The Plight of Iraq’s Religious Minorities May 15, 2008 Senior Research Fellow Brian Grim explains that sectarian violence, ambiguous legal protections for religious freedom, and other factors have contributed to a deteriorating situation for Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq.

Event Another Trans-Atlantic Divide? Church-State Relations in Europe and the United States May 22, 2007 The Pew Forum invited a panel of experts from both sides of the Atlantic to discuss the key differences between the U.S. and various European church-state models, including the distinctive virtues and vices of each system.

Event International Religious Freedom: Religion and International Diplomacy May 8, 2007 Foreign policy actors continue to debate how religious freedom – and religion itself – should be factored into U.S. foreign policy. The Pew Forum invited three distinguished speakers to address the fundamental questions surrounding the debate.

Event Religion in a Globalizing World Dec. 4, 2006 Peter Berger, professor emeritus of religion, sociology and theology at Boston University, examined the globalization of religious pluralism and how the peaceful coexistence of different racial, ethnic and religious groups has become a global phenomenon.

Event Legislating International Religious Freedom Nov. 20, 2006 The Pew Forum, the American Academy of Religion and the Library of Congress’ Kluge Center invited four experts to explore why the U.S. has made international religious freedom a priority and in what ways the policy has succeeded or failed.

Event God’s Country? Evangelicals and U.S. Foreign Policy Sept. 26, 2006 In an article in Foreign Affairs, Walter Russell Mead argued that as U.S. evangelicals exert increasing political influence, they are becoming a powerful force in foreign affairs. In recent years, evangelicals have voted overwhelmingly Republican, helping to put conservatives at the helm of U.S. foreign policy, while focusing their energies on a handful of specific issues, including support for Israel, the promotion of religious freedom abroad and the alleviation of hunger in Africa.

Other Resources


Pew Research CenterSept. 17, 2008 Unfavorable Views of Jews and Muslims on the Increase in Europe Pew Global Attitudes ProjectMarch 27, 2008 Few in China Complain About Internet Controls Pew Internet & American Life ProjectJune  22, 2006 The Great Divide: How Westerners and Muslims View Each Other Pew Global Attitudes Project

News Oct. 6, 2008 Iraqis Unite to Restore Minority Representation Law The New York Times Sept. 29, 2008 China’s Muslims say Ramadan a time of repression The Associated PressSept. 20, 2008 US criticizes Asian governments’ religion record The Associated Press

Other websitesReligious Freedom and U.S. Foreign Policy Council on Faith & International AffairsUnited States Commission on International Religious FreedomReligious Freedom U.S. Department of State

Annual Report Turns Spotlight on Abuses of Religious Freedom America.gov

 

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