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Recent Research in Social Justice, Communities, and Policy

Social justice requires us to ask what we owe each other as moral equals and how resources, power, opportunities, and capabilities ought to be fairly distributed. This involves confronting structural inequalities and engaging with institutions and norms to bring about meaningful, material change.

Arts and Humanities Research Informing Policy Neoliberal Religion

Talking Humanities Podcast - Accessing Classics

In this episode, we are joined by Professor Arlene Holmes-Henderson and talk about how classics education is beginning to thrive again and the fascinating projects Arlene has been involved with to make this happen.

Listen to the latest Talking Humanities podcast
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Arts and Humanities Research Informing Policy

Prof Arlene Holmes-Henderson MBE, Professor of Classics Education and Public Policy in our Department of Classics and Ancient History, talks in this video about her British Academy Innovation Fellowship and how her research on oracy, social mobility and employability is impacting education in schools.

Visit Arlene Holmes-Henderson's staff profile
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I'm working with a number of Government partners to help the Department for Education to think about how Classics and modern languages can be taken forward to a national strategic level.

Arlene Holmes-Henderson
Professor of Classics Education and Public Policy

Find out more about Arlene Holmes-Henderson's research interests

Learn more about research on oracy, social mobility and employability.

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Light Art: Rafael Lozano-Hemmer in conversation with David Wilkinson

As part of the Lumiere 2023 festival, artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer created an art installation in Durham Cathedral using 4,500 light bulbs representing the heartbeats of every member of the public who participated in the project. Revd Professor David Wilkinson talks to him about the meaning of his work.

Visit the Lumiere website

Neoliberal Religion: Faith and Power in the Twenty-First Century

Neoliberal Religion book cover

Guest, M. (2022). Neoliberal Religion: Faith and Power in the Twenty-First Century. Bloomsbury.

This book explores neoliberalism as an account of contemporary society and considers what this means for our understanding of religion. Neoliberalism is a perspective grounded in free market economics and distinguished by a celebration of competition and consumer choice. It has had a profound influence in societies across the world, and has extended its reach into all areas of human experience. And yet neoliberalism is not just about enterprise and opportunity. It also comes with authoritarian leadership, gross inequality and the manipulation of information. 

 

 

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Has religion been transformed into a market commodity or consumer product? Does the embrace of business methods make religious movements more culturally relevant, or can they be used to reinforce inequalities of gender or ethnicity? How might neoliberal contexts demand we think differently about matters of religious identity and power? This book provides an accessible discussion about religion in the 21st century.

Mathew Guest
Professor in the Sociology of Religion
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Mathew Guest: Neoliberal Religion

In this video, Prof John Barclay (Lightfoot Professor of Divinity, Durham University), Prof Linda Woodhead (King’s College, London) and Dr Tricia Bruce (University of Notre Dame) are in conversation with the author Prof Mathew Guest (Professor in the Sociology of Religion, Durham University).

Visit Mathew Guest's staff profile

 

 

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Hannah Rose Thomas: Tears of Gold

Hannah Rose Thomas, an inspiring Durham History and Arabic graduate and an award-winning portrait artist, now uses her talent to tell the stories of displaced women, survivors of sexual abuse and marginalised communities. Her recent book ‘Tears of Gold’ brings together her beautiful portraiture and the stories of these women and has been recognised with a foreword from the King.

Find out more about our History programmes
Professor Anna Rowlands

A Day in the Life of Anna Rowlands

Learn more about Professor Anna Rowlands from our Department of Theology and Religion and get to know what a typical day in her life looks like. Anna is a leading theologian who’s helping to shape the future of the Catholic Church.

A day in the life of Anna Rowlands

Discover Related Research Centres, Initiatives and Projects

Discover some of Durham University's research centres, initiatives, and projects related to Social Justice, Communities, and Policy.

Centre for Contemporary African History

The Centre for Contemporary African History brings together academics from a range of disciplines. It is driven by a shared sense of the relevance of history.
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Centre for Sustainable Development Law and Policy

The Centre for Sustainable Development Law and Policy aims at advancing sustainable development through research across intersecting thematic areas.
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Durham Centre for Law and Philsophy

We provide a space to discuss ideas and develop research projects in legal theory broadly conceived.
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Climate Mobilities Working Group

We are an interdisciplinary working group of professors, postdocs, and graduate students researching climate change related movement and immobility.
Climate Mobilities Working Group


 

Social Justice, Communities, and Policy Programme

Doctor of Theology and Ministry (DThM)

The DThM is Durham’s Professional Doctorate in theology. It is intended for anyone who is interested in the relationship between theology and practice.

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Durham University Courses

Our research-led education ensures our broad range of courses will challenge and inspire you. 

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Transformative Humanities Research

Visit the Transformative Humanities page to find out more about current research projects of other themes.

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Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Find out more about the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Durham University.

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