Research & publications

Our newest CSRS Publication is now available. Click the YouTube link below to watch the introductory video (4 min). The publication is available for purchase at the UBC Press website.  

Please watch the book launch lecture here (1h24m)

Religion at the Edge: Nature, Spirituality, and Secularity in the Pacific Northwest

Research & publications

Research and publishing are a main focus of activity at the CSRS. Through our fellowship programs, we sponsor individual research by scholars from all disciplines and all parts of the world. Through our sponsored-research networks, we create strong teams of investigators to collaboratively measure, test and expand our understanding of the role of religion in society.

Key themes

  • Religious diversity;
  • The role of religious groups in the provision of social services;
  • The role of illuminated or illustrated translated sacred texts in contemporary religious groups;
  • Religious and cultural roots of vaccine hesitancy;
  • The governance of religious diversity in China, India and Canada;
  • Religious radicalization and secularization in Canada and beyond;
  • Spirituality in hospice palliative care;
  • The link between secularization, regionalism, and spirituality;
  • The nature and vitality of religion in urban spaces in liberal democracies​;
  • The provision of prayer spaces and spiritual care in public health facilities​; and
  • Postural yoga in North America.

Knowledge mobilization

Knowledge mobilization means putting knowledge into service for the benefit of society. Research produced at the CSRS is mobilized through a variety of channels to:

  • inform the public about new developments in knowledge about religion;
  • influence government policy;
  • influence professional practice;
  • provide teaching material for college and university classrooms;
  • train and mentor students;
  • build community;
  • promote informed dialogue about religion.

CSRS team book projects

The centre's signature research model involves the formation of interdisciplinary teams from the sciences, social sciences, humanities, law, fine arts and other disciplines. Each team is tasked with producing a collectively authored academic volume for use by students, researchers and the general public. 

Detail of display at Jewish Museum, Berlin, 2015
Detail of display at Jewish Museum, Berlin, 2015. Photo by Paul Bramadat.