"Monash initiates new partnerships in Interreligious Studies" ; by Sharon A Bong

[Front (seated from left to right): Greg Barton, Sharon Bong, Michael Fagenblat and Anna Halafoff; Back (standing from left to right): Yeoh Seng Guan, Tony See, Salih Yucel, Melanie Landau, Marika Vicziany, Raju Zakir, Siby K George, Sony Jalarajan]


Teaching and research collaboration in interreligious studies was forged in an innovative two-day workshop that brought together researchers from Monash Sunway, Monash Australia and the India Institute of Technology (IITB), Mumbai. Hosted by the School of Arts and Social Sciences (Sunway), the workshop was funded by the International Strategic Initiative grant, team-led by Michael Fagenblat of the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation (Caulfield).

Explorations include: jointly writing new units in religion and gender, religion and media; introducing units in interreligious studies in Masters (taught) programmes; developing a new PhD programme with areas of specialization such as multi-faith movements in Asia, nationalism, conflict management, human rights, sports and youth in Interreligious Studies; identifying a Monash network of scholars with research expertise in interreligious studies and identifying research grants that recognizes the merits of interreligious studies.

Research presentations were offered by: Sharon A. Bong, “The Sexual Other in Religion”; Melanie Landau, “When the 'other' is your 'lover': the legal acquisition of women in traditional Jewish marriage”; Salih Yucel, “Institutionalizing of Muslim-Christian Dialogue: Nostra Aetate and Fethullah Gülen’s Vision”; Michael Fagenblat “The Good Samaritan from the perspective of rabbinic Judaism”; Anna Halafoff, “Multifaith Movements in Ultramodernity” and Marika Vicziany, “The 'other' 380 million Indians: Muslims, untouchables and tribal 'minorities' and Hindutva (Hindu fundamentalism)”.

Other dialogue partners included Greg Barton (Caulfied), Siby George (IITB), Yeoh Seng Guan, Zakir Hossain Raju, Tony See and Sony Jalarajan (Sunway).