Eboo Patel: "Building a Diverse Democracy: Interfaith Engagement in Times of Crisis"

March 5, 2018

Eboo Patel visited Amherst College on February 27, 2018. His presentation, "Building a Diverse Democracy: Interfaith Engagement in Times of Crisis", explained why diversity and pluralism are more important now than ever before.

Eboo Patel founded Interfaith Youth Core on the idea that religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He is inspired to build this bridge by his identity as an American Muslim navigating a highly religiously diverse social landscape. For over 15 years he has worked with governments, social sector organizations, and college and university campuses to help make interfaith cooperation a social norm. Named by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s Best Leaders of 2009, Patel served on President Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council and is the author of Acts of FaithSacred Ground and Interfaith Leadership. He holds a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes Scholarship.

* The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Amherst College.