Project GRACE: one of the ETN grant winners!

We are happy to announce that the project GRACE, with Julia Martínez-Ariño as the main coordinator, is one of the projects selected for last year’s round of ETN proposals. Congratulations to the GRACE team!

What is the GRACE project?

The GRACE project brings together three ENLIGHT (University of Groningen, University of Ghent and University of the Basque Country) and two non-Enlight (Autonomous University of Barcelona and Anna Lindh Foundation) partners to generate a network of teams working on the interdisciplinary study of religion in relation to conflict, globalization, climate change, migration and gender. The purpose is to organize research and educational activities, such as summer schools, academic webinars and reading groups. These should strengthen the collaboration between the institutions and train early-career researchers in the study of the complex realities that surround religion in the contemporary world, taking into account the promotion of equity, climate justice and cultural participation rights.

Why this project?

“We had been working with some of the partner institutions for some time already and wanted to strengthen and formalize this collaboration. Moreover, our goal was to enlarge the network to include a more diverse set of perspectives and national contexts, with the aim that this project will generate new synergies that can lead to further research and education funding applications. The Enlight Thematic Network scheme offered us a good platform to work on this goal.”

Why is this collaboration important? 

The different research centres and institutions involved in the network work from different perspectives and thematic foci on the study of religion. These complementary approaches are enriching, according to the team, as they offer diverse insights into the analysis of complex religious phenomena in relation to other social processes such as conflicts, globalization, migration, gender, etc.

Moreover, including the Anna Lindh Foundation, a non-academic institution, who works directly on policy advice and advocacy at the European level offers the opportunity to translate their work and make it relevant for policymakers and other stakeholders.

How did the collaboration start?

The RUG team had been working closely with the Autonomous University of Barcelona already for many years, as well as had started some smaller collaborations with the Anna Lindh Foundation.

What will be the impact of this project for the University of Groningen?

Being the leaders of the project, the team at the UG will be responsible for ensuring that the project runs smoothly. This will also be a chance to introduce the RUG to other institutions, attract participants to RUG summer schools and place the UG's research center as a leading institution in the interdisciplinary study of religion. Moreover, if successful, the funding applications prepared as part of this collaboration will situate RUG at the core of larger international networks.

How does the project connect to other ongoing projects?

The project will contribute to enhancing the visibility of the work conducted at the Centre for Religion, Conflict and Globalization. It will also allow for new research and educational collaborations, such as potential research and educational funding applications, as well as increase the societal and political impact of research activities.

The Future Vision

The project participants would like to enlarge the network to include other research centers dedicated to the social scientific study of religion and in this way create a larger impact through research and education in religion. 

UG Project Participants

• Dr. Manoela Carpenedo, Assistant Professor, Marie Curie Fellow and Vide-Director of the Centre for Religion, Conflict and Globalization, Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

• Dr. Ana Fernández-Aballí Altamirano, Researcher and Marie Curie Fellow, Centre for Religion, Conflict and Globalization, Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

• Dr. Uroš Kovač, Researcher and Marie Curie Fellow, Centre for Religion, Conflict and Globalization, Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

• Dr. Julia Martínez-Ariño, Project Leader, Assistant Professor and Director of the Centre for Religion, Conflict and Globalization, Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

• Dr. Joram Tarusarira, Associate Professor, Researcher and Former Director, Centre for Religion, Conflict and Globalization, Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

We are excited for the future of the GRACE project and its future accomplishments!