In our own Houston and around the globe, religion is a central way people make meaning of their experiences of the world. Over 85 percent of the world population is religiously affiliated. Religion is deeply related to other important identities, shaping experiences of race and attitudes towards politics and science. You only have to turn on the news to find numerous examples of religion both unifying and dividing people. Whether or not you are personally religious, it is impossible to ignore religion’s importance in the social world.
At a time when pluralism and polarization are high, we at the Religion and Public Life Program are harnessing the power of the social sciences to do the very best research that we can, research that will help people understand each other, foster dialogue, break down stereotypes, and—even more important—learn how to work together more effectively for the common good.
We start with top-notch research. The RPLP conducts impartial social science research on religion that has public relevance. We tackle controversial topics—some of the most pressing and polarizing issues of our time—and address them with nuanced understanding based on empirical studies. Recent work has explored the relationship between religion and its impact on things like science, poverty, race, immigration, and politics.
We then move to translate that research to relevant communities. Universities are special spaces that allow for the exchange of ideas and affect change in society. They allow for intellectual freedom and in-depth exploration. Yet, it is also one of our goals to extend the impact of our work beyond Rice University. We are building a bridge to people the academy would otherwise not reach, bringing together academic experts, faith leaders, and other kinds of leaders and constituents for conversations based on our studies and findings. We also hold public events designed to advance dialogue about religion in public life within local, national, and global communities.
Born out of and situated on a premier university campus, the pedagogical imperative of Rice University informs the core of our vision. We are training the next generation of thought leaders to do the highest quality research and to learn how to translate that research.