RESEARCH: Youth. Religion. Globalization.

While  the topics of youth, religion and globalization may not seem to be directly related, new research is tying the three subjects together.

A trio of researchers, including Concordia’s Jean-Philippe Warren (a professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology) and Hillary Kaell, (a fellow at the Centre for Sensory Studies who teaches at McGill) have examined several papers related to these subjects in their new publication, Mapping the Field of Religion, Globalization and Youth Agency, published in Social Sciences and Missions.

Focusing on the Youth Buddhist Society of India, David Geary and Manish Kumar’s paper looks at how Buddhist youth around the world are able to connect and use creative means to adopt and tailor ancient Buddhist traditions into their own spiritual practices.

A paper by Astrid Trolle paper examines Filipino au pairs in Denmark, who are usually from a Catholic background. It demonstrates how a change of country might also change their relationship to religion, as their new living environment may also expose them to new ideas.

The third paper, by Géraldine Mossière, examines cases of young people moving to Quebec and the impact this move may have on their religious choices.

The final paper, authored by Charles Mercier, focuses on the Interfaith Tour, an interreligious association of French youth. The group encourages international dialogue between youth of different religions.

Warren and Kaell use these papers to examine how youth around the world are using various techniques to bring their faith communities together.

Learn more about the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Social Sciences sector.