Religion, Immigration, and Politics: North American and European Perspectives

AM 2016: This panel provides some comparative insights on the current situation in Europe alongside experiences in the USA, exploring how religion is located within these debates, for instance as a foundation for appeals to national or civilizational identities that exclude certain groups, as well as a means for overcoming conflict and providing support and advocacy for vulnerable immigrant communities. What are the implications of defining refugees/immigrants in terms of their faith and ethnicity, including the ways in which this can fuel negative stereotypes? And how do we make sense of the ambiguous response of Christian churches/Christianity in both the USA and Europe in addressing issues around immigration? The panelists address these questions and others through comparative insights drawing upon the social and political sciences, as well as theological approaches. Panelists: - Emma Tomalin, University of Leeds - Atalia Omer, University of Notre Dame - Daniel Groody, University of Notre Dame - Jocelyne Cesari, Harvard University - Erin Wilson, University of Groningen - Victor Carmon, Oblate School of Theology This panel session was recorded at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion on November 21, in San Antonio, Texas.