Religious inequalities and heritage blind spots: Why transcendence matters for inclusive development

This talk will confront discrimination experienced by people on the basis of faith and non-faith in its intersections with other inequalities, why freedom of religion or belief is such a blind spot in development, and how our search for legitimacy may lead us to unconventional approaches of engagement, such as one informed by heritage sensitivity. 

About the speaker

Mariz Tadros is professor of Politics and Development at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, United Kingdom. She was director of the Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development (CREID) and is currently the Director of the Middle East People’s Culture Conservation Collective. 

She has authored three books on gender, Islamism and Copts in Egypt and co-edited a series of books, the most recent are: Poverty and Prejudice (with Philip Mader and Kathryn Cheeseman, Bristol University Press, 2023) and co-editor of Using Participatory Methods to explore freedom of religion and belief (with Jo Howard, Bristol University Press, 2023) and editor of What About Us? Global perspectives on redressing religious inequalities’ (IDS 2022). Her latest publication is Gender in development: What lessons for addressing inequality on the grounds of religion or (non)-belief? With Cathy Shutt in World Development.

Chair

• Michael Jennings, Professor of Global Development & Departmental Director of Doctoral Studies, SOAS

Discussant

• Romina Istratii, UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, Department of Religions and Philosophies, SOAS

This event is part of the SOAS Global Development Seminar Series.

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