Archive
CRCC Launches Compelling Preaching Initiative
The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture is launching a new project that seeks to help faith leaders think about their preaching in an ever-changing social and cultural landscape. With support …
The Moral Power of Stories: How Exemplars Help Us Find Meaning and Purpose
What has more emotional salience, an abstract moral principle such as love or justice or a good story of someone whose life commitments exemplify these values? Shortly after I finished my Ph.D. …
Unveiling the Heart of 100 Humanitarians
The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture worked with dozens of journalists to profile more than 100 individuals whose spiritual beliefs and practices fuel their humanitarian work. Journalists share their experience …
Stories of Social Change: Spirituality in Action
A multimedia exhibit A global team of journalists and researchers at the University of Southern California produced more than 100 stories about people dedicated to working for positive social change as …
Donald E. Miller: ‘Spiritual exemplars’ change the media narrative about religion
This article was originally published on Religion News Service, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. Media stories about religion often focus on corruption in religious institutions, politicians’ alliances with conservative Christians and …
Thriving (or Just Surviving): 2023 Trends to Watch in Religion and Society
If CRCC’s annual trends to watch have been growing more ominous in recent years, then 2023 feels like a pivotal year for many of the issues we’ve been tracking: Like our final …
Student Reflection: Curating Religion: Pluralistically, Singularly, or Not At All?
By Caris White Caris White is a student at Dartmouth College studying religion and art history. The following blog post was an independent project she worked on during a summer internship with …
Pandemic Year 3 Predictions: Adjusting to New “Normals” in 2022
Since 2016, CRCC has shared the trends in religion and society that we see shaping the coming year. What started as light-hearted predictions has grown more ominous over the years. Anybody surprised …
Mehool Sanghrajka: A Jain Tech Innovator Combines A Religious And Worldly Perspective In Education
This radio documentary was originally produced by KALW’s The Spiritual Edge, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. To hear this and other profiles, subscribe to The Spiritual Edge podcast in …
Understanding Religious Literacy Content Creators and Providers in Education, Journalism, and New Media
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (AVDF) commissioned the Aspen Institute Inclusive America Project (IAP) to conduct a review of content providers and creators of religious literacy materials in the categories of new …
PC Magazine: Quraishi on the Possibility of Productive Online Conversations
Are productive online conversations possible? According to Amanda Quraishi, founder and director of the Institute for Digital Civic Culture (IDCC), they’re not only possible, but crucial. PC Magazine interviewed Quraishi on designing …
Critical Conversations on Activism, Online and Off
With so many Americans across the country seeking to get their voices heard both in the streets and on social media this week, CRCC is hosting a conversation about what it means …
Beyond Influencer Marketing: How to Exercise Real Leadership Online
There are some things you will have no trouble finding on today’s internet: more fascinating content than you can ever hope to consume; oceans of strong opinions; products you never knew you …
The Aspen Institute: Loskota on Tackling Hate Through Interfaith Initiatives
Bridging faith communities is essential to combat violence against minorities and create partnerships to tackle the challenges that face society. The Aspen Institute interviewed CRCC Executive Director Brie Loskota for a podcast …
Reimagining Religion 2018: New Stories, New Communities
Reimagining Religion 2018: New Stories, New Communities was a conference hosted at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism by the Knight Program for Media and Religion, along with Religion Communicators …
Today’s Mass Killings Shouldn’t Distort Our Assessment of Everyday Risk
This post originally appeared on Zócolo Public Square. In the midst of the Second Intifada, in summer 2001, I was living in the dorms at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Normally bustling streets …
The Other Muslim Fringe: Muslim Activism in Europe
CRCC’s Nick Street had a fellowship from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting to explore young Muslims in Europe working to create a space for themselves. Watch this video to hear about what …
The Invisible Muslims: Reporting about Islam in America
This piece originally appeared on Nieman Reports. Days after last year’s terrorist attack on a public services center in San Bernardino, California, Kristen Stangas was standing amid a cluster of reporters outside …
How to solve the difficult problem of adding ‘Muslim’ to ‘American’
This post originally appeared on the Los Angeles Times. In mid-September, my 6-year-old daughter ran into our living room and literally started jumping for joy. “Baba, it’s a miracle!” she told her father with …
U2, Justin Bieber and the Future of Christianity
What exactly is the shelf life of a headlining rock band and an equally headline-grabbing pastor? When I heard that U2 had summoned megachurch pastor Rick Warren to minister to them in …