Sarah Zouak: Leading a Laboratory of Muslim Feminism in France
When Sarah Zouak was a graduate student in France, an adviser told her that the phrase “Muslim feminist” was a contradiction in terms. Zouak had proposed a thesis on the topic when …
Moral, Social and Political Issues
Environmental Justice and Spiritual Exemplars
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The Radical Resistance and Radical Acceptance of Spiritual Exemplars
How spiritual exemplars work to create a world befitting of our inherent nobility A key question we are asked by consumers of our research on “spiritual exemplars” is about the qualities of …
Sister Networks Building Hope at the US/Mexico Border
Catholic sisters are working together across congregations and across the US/Mexico border to better serve people in need of housing, food, health care and immigration services. This video highlights the work of …
Parveena Ahanger: A Grieving Mother’s Fight for the Disappeared of Kashmir
Parveena Ahanger, a well-known Kashmiri activist, exuded her characteristic warmth as she sat cross-legged in the kitchen on a freezing January afternoon in Srinagar, the region’s largest city. The warmest corner of …
The Complex Relationship Between Religion and Humanitarianism
The hero image of religious saints involved in humanitarian work warrants examination. I have come to this conclusion in the process of leading a global project on “spiritual exemplars” at USC’s Center …
Spotlight shines on spiritually engaged humanitarians in ‘Stories of Social Change’ exhibit
This story was originally published by USC News. After being immersed in the material for five years, Megan Sweas didn’t need a script as she led small groups on tours of the …
David Raimundo dos Santos: Without this Black Catholic Priest, Affirmative Action Wouldn’t Be Alive and Thriving in Brazil.
This article was originally published on Black Catholic Messenger, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. Sometimes the truth hits so hard that it changes your life forever. For the …
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 …