Law, Religion, and Social Progress in the Age of COVID-19 Symposium

The Covid-19 era has unfolded as a time of great anxiety, social and economic turmoil, and political unrest. It has also further exposed structural and systemic failings of democratic societies, the exponential growth of economic, racial, gendered, technological, and geopolitical inequalities, and of political divisions and social conflicts. In this way, the pandemic has had great impact on social progress within and across societies. This SMU DCII Research Symposium explores notions of social progress, during pandemic and ‘post’-pandemic times, within a diversity of national and international contexts, primarily through the prism of law and religion.

The SMU DCII Research Symposium gathers an international group of scholars who explore how the pandemic has changed notions of social progress, within a number of national contexts from the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The participants address questions such as: What do we mean by social progress in the context of law, religion, as well as other spheres of influence? Is there an artificial binary between our material and spiritual lives, and does this binary feed into focusing on social progress as a material good only? Does religion contribute to or inhibit social progress? How do we promote social progress to achieve a ‘better’ society in the Covid-19 era? How can religion and law— in the context of spheres of influences such as politics, culture, or technology— enhance or support such social progress in national and international contexts?

Speakers express their own views and not necessarily the view of the DCII or SMU.

Date: September 17-19, 2023. Please see the “Schedule” tab for the detailed schedule. Register for one or all sessions on the registration page!

Event Venue: The meeting locations are at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology and its various halls and rooms. Please check the schedule for the details.

Co-Organizers: Dr. Susanne Scholz, SMU Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Qudsia Mirza, Royal Docks School of Business and Law, University of East London, London, Britain

Link to Register for Sessions Here

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