Research Programs

CURA conducts interdisciplinary research programs that explore the intersections of culture, religion, and world affairs. These programs aim to foster understanding and provide insights into global issues.

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Fellows Program

Each year, CURA’s Religion and World Affairs Fellowship program brings together an interdisciplinary community of Boston-area graduate students and faculty. Once selected, CURA Fellows gather on the Boston University campus for bimonthly colloquium sessions throughout the academic school year to workshop papers that align with that year’s research focus. This program affords CURA fellows the opportunity to experience deep engagement with their research prior to submitting it for publication.

World Religion Database

The World Religion Database (WRD), hosted at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA), contains detailed statistics on religious affiliation for every country of the world. It provides information from country censuses as well as best estimates for every religion to offer a definitive picture of religion and non-religion in the past, present, and future.

Travel & Research Grants

Travel grants of up to $500 are provided to Boston University students or faculty, and current and past CURA fellows, who wish to travel outside of Boston for a conference or to conduct research on a subject related to CURA’s mission. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Indonesian Pluralisms

Indonesian Pluralities is a film, print, and multimedia project for educators, journalists, NGOs, and policy analysts on cultural and religious diversity, democracy, and civic co-existence in contemporary Indonesia. It explores Indonesia’s religious and ethnic plurality in both its rich promise and ongoing challenges.

Other Projects

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