Religion in Civil Society
The 10th Annual Patuxent Defense Forum, Religion in Civil Society: The Impact of Religious Movements on International Relations, will take place on June 4 in Cole Cinema at St. Mary’s College of Maryland from 8:15 am to 5 pm.
The forum is a joint presentation by The Patuxent Partnership and The Center for the Study of Democracy at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
This year’s forum focuses on religious activism and the extent to which religious engagement is integrated into U.S. foreign policy. Recent developments around the world underscore the importance of addressing religious diversity and developing policies that support civil society. Whether it is discord between Sunni and Shia in the Middle East, Christians and Muslims in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, or Palestinian, Jewish and other religious extremists in more secular Western states, this forum will help to better understand the history of these tensions, the impact of U.S. foreign policy approaches to religious diversity, and the role that intergovernmental organizations can play in promoting religious tolerance as a constructive value in building civil societies.
Discussion of these issues is particularly fitting at St. Mary’s City, the site of Maryland’s first capital, settled by Catholics. Considering this legacy, the forum will contemplate precedents and current policies.
Guest speakers include Dr. Chris Seiple, President of the Institute for Global Engagement, former U.S. Marine Infantry Officer; Timothy Shah, Associate Director of the Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs; J. Mark Brinkmoeller, Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Please visit www.paxpartnership.org for the full list of speakers and panelists.
Registration is $80 per person for members of The Patuxent Partnership, $95 for non-members. For more information, and to register go to www.paxpartnership.org.
The Patuxent Partnership works with government, industry and academia on initiatives in science and technology, hosts programs of interest to NAVAIR and the broader DoD community, and supports workforce development including education initiatives and professional development. Visit www.paxpartnership.org or call 301-866-1739.