Henry R. Luce Initiative on Religion & International Affairs Program

Religion & International Affairs

The Luce Foundation’s Henry R. Luce Initiative on Religion and International Affairs, announced in June 2005, seeks to deepen American understanding of religion as a critical but often neglected factor in international policy issues. The initiative succeeds the Henry R. Luce Professorship Program.

There is growing awareness of religion as a potent cultural, political, and economic force in societies around the globe. Americans are reminded on a daily basis that different faiths have critical implications for issues ranging from development and democracy to health and human rights. And yet there are inadequate resources to analyze religion as a key variable in explaining behavior and decisions in various parts of the world.

The Henry R. Luce Initiative has two parts. The first part is an annual competitive grants program which invites proposals from leading professional schools of international affairs in the United States. The aim is to help prepare the next generation of policy specialists who will assume positions in diplomacy, development, relief work, human rights, journalism and other fields.

The second part of the initiative provides project grants to U.S. institutions in the academic, public policy and media sectors in order to amplify programs and projects on religion and international affairs. These grants build on existing efforts to provide training, create public understanding, and develop networks that link practitioners and academics.

Project grants and grants made to schools of international affairs are listed in the Recent Grants section of the Foundation’s website.