The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
Dr. Evelyn Kirkley
University of San Diego
Mapping San Diego’s Religious Diversity
Project Description
Second largest city in California, seventh largest in the nation, San Diego has a diverse religious landscape. The area’s moderate climate, beautiful beaches, and stable economy make it appealing to emigrants from inside and outside the United States. Unsurprisingly, the largest percentage of the population is Christian, with large Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant communities, bolstered by proximity to Mexico. Moreover, San Diego has attracted residents from South and East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, and hence has thriving Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim congregations. San Diego is also home to a large Church of Scientology, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baha’i faith, Rastafarians, and a small but vibrant Neo-Pagan community.
Given its pluralism, San Diego is an ideal context for faculty-directed student ethnographic research. “Mapping San Diego’s Religious Diversity” incorporates a field research project into an existing introductory world religions course at the University of San Diego, a private Roman Catholic liberal arts university. The course examines the historical development, foundational beliefs, ethical systems, ritual expressions, and community structures of Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Chinese traditions, and other religions. It also analyzes methodologies for the study of religions. While faculty and students often visit area communities of faith in this course, it has not heretofore incorporated structured ethnographic or participatory action research. This project pioneers new territory for the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. If successful, faculty teaching other sections of this course and other courses may embark on similar projects.
Following the model established by the Pluralism Project and utilizing the resources of USD’s Center for Educational Excellence, students will choose a religious tradition and immerse themselves in it through scholarly and ethnographic research. They will select a specific community of faith in San Diego from that tradition and analyze its history, challenges, opportunities, and relationships with other faith communities. By situating world religions in the United States, specifically San Diego, students will question definitions of religion and spirituality; relationships between “mainstream,” dominant cultures and marginal, under-represented ones; the roles of religion in history and society; and inter-cultural contact and conflict. Through interviews, documents, attendance at rituals, and trained observation and with my guidance, they will synthesize their research into a coherent analysis presented in a multimedia portfolio. This experiential learning combined with collaborative faculty-student research will enable students to understand religions other than their own, cultivate empathy and openness, and gain research experience.
“Mapping San Diego’s Religious Diversity” will also result in co-authored presentations and articles in peer-reviewed journals in religious history, ethnic studies, U.S. culture and religion, student-centered learning, and innovative pedagogy. To accomplish this goal, students will first present their research at USD’s annual Creative Collaborations conference in spring 2011. In so doing, they will gain experience interpreting their work to a broad audience and perceive themselves as scholars. Then selected students and I will revise their research for manuscript submission beginning in summer 2011.
Studying the world’s religions through participatory, ethnographic research fulfills USD’s mission and core values for students to become effective leaders in an increasingly diverse global community. It strengthens undergraduates’ breadth of experience, improves their religious literacy, and promotes inter-faith dialogue. In fostering respect for individual dignity and solidarity with the marginalized, this project furthers the aims of Catholic Social Teaching. Finally, it will contribute to USD’s Strategic Goal of becoming a “more culturally competent community” and a “powerful advocate for social justice and human rights.”
Project Components and Timeline
- Develop a world religions course with collaborative faculty-student research as a major component
- Teach the course as a pilot project in fall 2010
- Present student research findings at Creative Collaborations conference in spring 2011
- Publish faculty-student research in peer-reviewed journals