Trinity Western University

2010 News

TWU professor to collaborate on international study of religious diversity

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Michael Wilkinson, Ph.D., TWU’s Religion in Canada Institute Director and Associate Professor of Sociology, will collaborate on The Religion and Diversity Project.

The project will seek to identify, in detail, the contours of religious diversity in Canada, and the potential benefits of approaches to diversity that promote substantive or deep equality and move beyond tolerance and accommodation. Professor Beaman's research will place Canada in the context of other western democracies and, over the course of the project, will work to identify global patterns in responses to religious diversity.

This research program, carried out by 36 team members in 24 universities in Canada, Australia, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, will aim to present diversity not primarily as a problem, but as a resource. The team will also propose strategies for equality that will advance knowledge and enhance public policy decision-making.  

The principal investigator, Professor Lori Beaman, of the Department of Classics and Religious Studies, University of Ottawa, was awarded $2.5 million from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) as part of the Major Collaborative Research Initiatives (MCRI) program.

Langley Campus

Trinity Western University is a Christian University of the arts, sciences, and professions, legislated by British Columbia to serve the public. Recognized for quality, TWU is consistently ranked among the top two universities in Canada for Educational Experience by the National Survey of Student Engagement; holds three Canada Research Chairs; wins National Championships in CIS sports; and emphasizes experiential learning to prepare graduates to make a global impact. TWU offers 42 bachelor’s degrees, 16 graduate degrees, and adult degree-completion programs. A vibrant community committed to educating the whole person, TWU has been developing leaders of character and competence for 50 years.

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