Beyond Individualism: The Challenge of Inclusive Communities (Religion, Culture, and Public Life Book 29)

While individualism is a powerful force in Western cultures and a cornerstone of Western foreign policy, it elicits strong resistance in traditional communities. Drawing on decades of research and experience, Rupp pushes modern individualism beyond its foundational beliefs to recognize the place of communal practice in our world. Affirming the value of communities and the productive role religion plays in many lives, he advocates new solutions to such global challenges as conflicts in the developing world, income inequality, climate change, and mass migration. The noted humanitarian and educator urges Western societies to engage with the core commitments of traditional communities. In many places around the globe, relations between ethnic and religious groups that once coexisted more or less amicably are now fraught with aggression and violence. This troubling trend has profound international implications, threatening efforts to protect the Earth's ecosystem and narrow the gap between rich and poor. Underscoring the need for immediate action, George Rupp urges the secular West to reckon with the continuing power of religious conviction and seek ways to embrace the full extent of the world's diversity. While individualism is a powerful force in Western cultures and is often a cornerstone of Western foreign policy, it elicits strong resistance in traditional communities. Drawing on decades of research and experience, Rupp pushes modern individualism beyond its foundational beliefs to recognize the place of communal practice in our world. By affirming the value of the group and the productive role religion plays in many lives, new solutions to such global challenges as conflicts in the developing world, income inequality, climate change, and mass migration take realistic shape In many places around the world, relations between ethnic and religious groups that for long periods coexisted more or less amicably are now fraught with aggression and violence. This trend has profound international implications, threatening efforts to narrow the gap between rich and poor. Underscoring the need for sustained action, George Rupp urges the secular West to reckon with the continuing power of religious conviction and embrace the full extent of the world's diversity. While individualism is a powerful force in Western cultures and a cornerstone of Western foreign policy, it elicits strong resistance in traditional communities. Drawing on decades of research and experience, Rupp pushes modern individualism beyond its foundational beliefs to recognize the place of communal practice in our world. Affirming the value of communities and the productive role religion plays in many lives, he advocates new solutions to such global challenges as conflicts in the developing world, income inequality, climate change, and mass migration. Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Passionate Conviction and Inclusive Community Part 1. Education as a Resource 2. The Challenges of American Provincialism 3. Religion and the Academy—A Lover’s Quarrel 4. Universities in the Search for Strategic Responses to Global Challenges 5. What Is the Good Life? 6. More Words for Students Part 2. Action for Inclusion 7. Local Conflicts as a Global Challenge 8. People on the Move 9. Enhancing Local Capacity Globally 10. Religious Communities as a Resource for Conflict Resolution 11. Religion and Ecology 12. Why Community? Conclusion Index