Law and Religion

Law and Religion

In our pluralistic world, a variety of oft-conflicting perspectives informs our understanding of moral and political ideas of justice. Additionally, legal cases increasingly span across borders and involve participants with no shared tradition, creating tensions that reflect fundamental moral conflicts. These resources explore how religion grounds, shapes, and conflicts with our legal systems.

Our Experts

Michael Kessler

Managing Director
Department of Government and Law Center

Law and Religion A-Z Subtopics

Narrow your search for Religion and Development content by selecting from this list of subtopics

A

Abortion Subtopic

B

C

D

G

Governance Subtopic

H

I

International Criminal Court Subtopic

J

L

Law Subtopic

P

R

Blog Posts

Stairs leading up to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China

March 16, 2020

Regulating Religion in China

Why is China re-intensifying the regulation of religious groups? How do Chinese policies on religion fit into larger state objectives? Should the U.S. government place greater pressure on China to advance religious freedom?

Indian flag flies on top of the Red Fort in Delhi, India

March 9, 2020

Religion and Citizenship in India

What does the Citizenship Amendment Act mean for the future of Indian democracy? Why is Hindu nationalism on the rise in India now? What are the implications of Hindutva for other states in South Asia, such as Bangladesh and Pakistan?

February 13, 2020

Politics of School Prayer

What is the significance of the recent guidelines on school prayer? Has religious freedom become a polarized (and polarizing) issue? If so, is it possible to (re)create a bipartisan coalition on religious freedom?

Explore All Blog Posts

Events

Contraception and Conscience: A Symposium on Religious Liberty, Women’s Health, and the HHS Rule on Provision of Birth Control Coverage for Employees

Sep
21

2012

Contraception and Conscience: A Symposium on Religious Liberty, Women’s Health, and the HHS Rule on Provision of Birth Control Coverage for Employees

1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EDT Georgetown Law Center

May
7

2015

Publications

Report April 20, 2016

Blasphemy Laws as a Challenge to Religious Freedom

On April 20, 2016, the Religious Freedom Project hosted a conference to explore an emerging and urgent challenge to religious freedom: blasphemy laws.