Religion, discourse and diversity: UK/Canada collaboration

Kim Knott（PI，兰开斯特大学）和洛里比曼（Co-I，渥太华大学）之间的这一伙伴关系和网络倡议将使联合王国和加拿大之间的研究网络能够在跨学科和比较的基础上。这两个国家都有不同的人口，但他们在宗教，法律，政治，公共政策，媒体和多元文化方面有很大的差异。该倡议将侧重于英国和加拿大主流媒体描绘和代表多数和少数宗教及其与世俗国家关系的方式。在这两个国家，重要的是分析和质疑媒体如何有助于构建不同宗教及其成员的公共形象，研究人员应与媒体专业人员和宗教代表就这些问题进行接触。我们将识别和研究引起媒体关注的宗教话题的争议，以及这些争议在两国的不同和相似之处。这将通过开发一个矩阵来比较媒体数据集来实现，该矩阵将反过来产生对英国和加拿大媒体宗教报道的比较分析，并为包括澳大利亚和新西兰在内的其他国家的类似分析奠定基础。联合王国与研究用户接触的经验以及制定适当的影响途径将为用户与加拿大宗教和多样性项目的接触提供信息。加拿大在关于多文化争议和涉及宗教少数群体的法律的案件的公共讨论方面的专门知识反过来将有助于联合王国关于宗教、讨论和多样性的研究，合作的重点是以下核心活动：（a）制定一项战略，比较加拿大和英国媒体对宗教的媒体报道和对宗教特性的表述; B）研究生和博士后研究员的机会，包括积极参与研究计划; c）知识交流和影响活动，包括与利益攸关方举办宗教和媒体讲习班（记者、宗教通讯员、宗教传播专家等），以及通过与现有政策伙伴合作为政策作出贡献; d）在国际上传播研究成果，发展其他潜在的国际伙伴关系;（e）在合作者之间就共同的研究兴趣、影响力和创新战略分享情报。ESRC项目下的合作活动将得到每年两次的会议的支持，会议将包括各种活动，包括研究规划和发展、研究生培训、青年研究员指导以及与记者和政策制定者在学院之外的影响力活动。

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.