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Ethics and International Affairs

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The world’s most pressing challenges, ranging from advancing human rights and equality to combating climate change and containing conflict, require the cooperation of states, international organizations, and civil society actors. Berkley center programs, events, and publications illuminate the ethical dimension of international relations – and its complex links back to religious and philosophical traditions – from a variety of diverse perspectives.

Our Experts

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Judd Birdsall

Senior Fellow
Department of Theology and Religious Studies

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José Casanova

Senior Fellow
Professor Emeritus

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David Hollenbach

Senior Fellow
Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Current and Past Projects

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Faith and the Global Agenda

From 2007 to 2010 the Berkley Center collaborated with the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) on a series of publications on religion in world affairs. A first report on "Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue" was released…

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Normative Orders Collaborative

Georgetown’s Normative Orders Collaborative was an interdisciplinary and international effort during 2014 and 2015 centered around the Moral Innovation Seminar, which explored how morality changes over time and asked how such changes might become incorporated in what morality objectively requires.
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What Do I Owe You: Mapping Global Responsibility

What Do I Owe You was a year-long multi-media project that sought to understand how individuals who are enmeshed in a global economy and have daily interactions across diverse cultures and religions mold their views about what they owe each other…

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Videos

February 11, 2025

New Cold War, New Anti Nuclear Activism

Duration: 1 hours 3 minutes

December 12, 2024

The Geopolitics of Religion and Culture in Asia

Duration: 1 hours 4 minutes

November 13, 2024

Caring for the Other: Refugees and Displaced Persons Webinar

Duration: 56 minutes

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Events

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Blog Posts

Religious Responsibilities and Action for Children: The Abu Dhabi Forum

December 3, 2024

Religious Responsibilities and Action for Children: The Abu Dhabi Forum

Katherine Marshall reflects on the Global Network of Religions for Children forum on the theme "The Child is Calling," held in November 2024. It culminated in an Abu Dhabi Declaration, pledging commitment to work for children and continuing efforts to ensure children's participation and voices.
Jesus on the cross and scenes from the Passion carved into limestone at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

September 30, 2024

Human Rights and Social Ethics: Catholic and Secular Approaches

Berkley Center Senior Fellow Rev. David Hollenbach, S.J., has applied Christian social ethics to a variety of global challenges over the last 40 years. That dedication has led Hollenbach to work on one of the most pressing issues facing the international community today: human rights.

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