Heaven Has a Wall: Religion, Spirituality and Borders

Event description

Academic events
Free
Inclusion
Open to the public
Professional and career development

Everyone has a border story, but for American borders, there is more going on than meets the eye. At times, the United States ferociously enforces its borders, while at other times it circumvents or ignores them. U.S. borders are present and absent, avowed and deferred, enforced and erased, here and there and nowhere. They are solid and specific but also often hard to locate. U.S. borders are sometimes located far from the line one might draw on a map, either projected far around the globe or brought deep inside the country.

Drawing on Professor Hurd’s new book “Heaven Has a Wall,” this lecture explores the paradoxes of creation, enforcement, suspension and refusal of our American border religion.

This event is part of the Spirituality and Public Life Initiative, made possible by a generous donation to the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict. The initiative highlights the importance of spirituality to the ethical formation of persons and citizens, and to the institutions of public life that are vital to human flourishing.

About the speaker

Elizabeth Shakman Hurd holds an appointment in the Program on Middle East and North African Studies. She studies religion and politics globally, with a focus on U.S. foreign and immigration policy, U.S.- American borders, the politics of secularism and religious freedom and the U.S.-Middle East relationship. She is the author of “Heaven Has a Wall: Religion, Borders, and the Global United States” and other major works on religion and politics.

Logistics

This event is hosted by the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict and will take place on the ASU Tempe campus in West Hall, Room 135, and will be live streamed through the Center's YouTube channel and on ASU Live. Whether you plan to participate via livestream or in-person, we appreciate you taking a moment to register. Your confirmation and reminder email will provide detailed directions to the venue, including parking information and key livestream details.

The lecture will consist of a special lecture by Elizabeth Shakman Hurd and short moderated discussion with Tracy Fessenden, followed by audience Q&A and a reception offering light refreshments.