Following a number of high-profile attacks, security has become a key concern for diverse places of worship in the United States and abroad. However, the impacts of these threats on religious practice and community, and their relationship with questions of citizenship and belonging, remain under-explored. This talk addresses these issues in the case of Chicago, first highlighting the ways in which security issues now represent a proxy for religious groups’ place in American society, and second demonstrating how these strategies are helping to reshape religious practice today. It concludes by addressing the unevenness of security concerns among religious communities, revealing how attending a place of worship confident of one’s safety has become a privilege not available to all.
If you require accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Rich Mrozinski at mrozinski@uconn.edu (preferred method of contact) or 860-486-3788.
For more information, contact: Nat Trumbull at trumbull@uconn.edu