Religion, discourse and diversity: UK/Canada collaboration

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This partnership and networking initiative, between Kim Knott (PI, Lancaster University) and Lori Beaman (Co-I, University of Ottawa), will enable research networking between the United Kingdom and Canada on an interdisciplinary and comparative basis. Both countries have diverse populations, but they have considerable differences with regard to religion, law, politics, public policy, media and multiculturalism. The initiative will focus on the ways that mainstream media in the UK and Canada portray and represent majority and minority religions and their relationship with the secular state. It is important in both countries to analyse and question how the media contribute to constructing the public image of different religions and their members, and for researchers to engage with media professionals and religious representatives on these issues. We will identify and examine controversies on religious topics that attract media attention and the ways these vary and are similar in the two countries. This will be achieved through the development of a matrix for comparing media datasets that will, in turn, produce a comparative analysis of media coverage of religion in the UK and Canada, with foundation building for a similar analysis in other countries including Australia and New Zealand.We view this initiative as an opportunity for the exchange of expertise. UK experience of engagement with research users and the development of appropriate pathways to impact will inform user engagement with Canada's Religion and Diversity Project. Canadian expertise on public discourse on multicultural controversies and legal cases concerning religious minorities will in turn contribute to UK research on religion, discourse and diversity.The collaboration is focused on the following core activities: a) the development of a strategy for comparison of media coverage of religion and representations of religious identity in Canada and British media; b) opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows which will include active participation in the research programme; c) knowledge exchange and impact activities which will include workshops on religion and the media with stakeholders (journalists, religious correspondents, religious communications specialists etc), as well as contributions to policy through collaboration with existing policy partners; d) international dissemination of the research results and development of other potential international partnerships; e) sharing intelligence between the collaborators on mutual research interests and impact and innovation strategy.Collaborative activities under this ESRC project will be supported by twice yearly meetings which will include a variety of activities, including research planning and development, graduate student training, young researcher mentoring, and impact activities beyond the academy with journalists and policy makers.