Prof. Josef Meri's Avatar

Prof. Josef Meri

@josefmeri.bsky.social

Historian of Religions & Interfaith Relations in the Middle East in past & present. I teach the history of inter-religious relations, identity, belonging, memory, and concepts of "the other." Senior Fellow, ACMCU, Georgetown University. Berkeley & Oxford

164 Followers  |  360 Following  |  20 Posts  |  Joined: 14.11.2024  |  1.5955

Latest posts by josefmeri.bsky.social on Bluesky


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Experimenting with a caricature of myself today via ChatGPT. Not bad, but I don't have time to tweak it. #interfaith #interreligious #historians

09.02.2026 14:59 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Case studies + my brief introduction: acmcu.georgetown.edu/religious-pl...

28.01.2026 15:20 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

These case studies were authored by an outstanding group of former students whose careful research, collaborative engagement, and commitment to public scholarship made this possible. They’re modelled in conversation with the Harvard Pluralism Project’s case-study approach.

28.01.2026 15:20 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

[1/3] Pleased to announce the launch of Phase I of β€œReligious Pluralism in the Middle East and Global Contexts”: the first set of religious pluralism case studies, hosted by Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (Walsh School of Foreign Service).

28.01.2026 15:20 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Calling all Georgetown University and Georgetown University in Qatar students: *Ten* $3000 grants available to support research on the legacy of Emir Abdelkader (d. 1883) and his contribution to global peace and human rights. @georgetownuni.bsky.social

22.01.2026 10:52 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I’m grateful to the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service Dean Joel Hellman, John Kiser, John Esposito, and Nader Hashemi for their vision and for the opportunity to serve as LPI for this project.
events.georgetown.edu/event/36765-... #peacestudies #conflictresolution #georgetown

22.01.2026 10:47 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I’m pleased to share that, together with my Georgetown University colleagues, I’ve helped launch a new research project: β€œEmir Abd El-Kader: Legacy and Impact on Global Affairs,” part of the John W. Kiser Research Initiative at the (ACMCU) [1/2]

22.01.2026 10:47 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Follow me on LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/josefmeri/

20.01.2026 12:29 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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It’s time Syria returns to pluralism after Assad divide-and-rule Syria’s rich history of peaceful coexistence is a natural blueprint for interfaith governance after the sham pluralism of the Assad regime, says Josef Meri.

I was humbled to see the Editorial Board cite my recent essay in @thenewarab.bsky.social The New Arab on Syria and pluralism, where I discuss imperfect but real traditions of coexistence and the work of imagining societies that move beyond sectarian difference.
Essay: www.newarab.com/opinion/its-...

24.12.2025 02:57 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A balm of heroism and truth for Australia By disarming a gunman during the Bondi Beach shooting, a Syrian Australian illustrates a legacy of respect for the innocent and social harmony.

A friend just alerted me to a powerful editorial from @csmonitor.bsky.social on the Bondi Beach Hanukkah gathering attack, which engages questions of pluralism that I have been writing about in the Syrian context. It is a solemn reflection on grief, courage, and shared public life in Australia.
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24.12.2025 02:57 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Religious education and collaborative pluralism in the Middle East - ABC Religion & Ethics Religious pluralism in the Middle East is inherently non-monolithic β€” so effective religious education must leverage particular cultural strengths while seeking new forms of inter-religious collaborat...

My latest ABC Religion and Ethics piece on the urgent need for collaborative pluralism in higher ed across the Middle East. #Pluralism #HigherEd #religiouspluralism #interfaithstudies #ReligiousEducation www.abc.net.au/religion/rel...

16.07.2025 04:11 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Congratulations to @acmcu.bsky.social @georgetown-sfs.bsky.social colleague Prof. John O. Voll on the publication of his new Oxford University Press book "The Eighteenth Century: A World History."

lnkd.in/dhDtwxyH

#worldhistory #undergraduatetextbooks #earlymodernhistory

09.05.2025 11:45 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Bridging Worlds: Reflections on Teaching, Dialogue, and the University’s Role - Bridge Initiative As a historian of the Middle East and a historian of religions, my scholarship and teaching for over two decades have focused on the history of interfaith and interreligious relations, pluralism, and ...

My latest piece for the Bridge Initiative at @acmcu.bsky.social Georgetown University about "Bridging Worlds: Reflections on Teaching, Dialogue, and the University’s Role." #interfaith #pluralism #highereducation #universities bridge.georgetown.edu/research/bri...

26.04.2025 05:39 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Congratulations to Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) on its 20th anniversary celebrations! This milestone reflects two decades of academic excellence, an outstanding leadership team, and a strong sense of community. @georgetownuni.bsky.social @qatarfoundation.bsky.social

12.04.2025 11:53 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Abraham's Bridge: A Documentary Review of Interfaith Connection in America's Heartland - Bridge Initiative In a world marked by conflict, division, and religious tension, "Abraham's Bridge" offers a compelling narrative of collaboration across faith traditions. This short documentary, running just under 40...

My review of "Abraham's Bridge," a documentary by Elinor Pierce about the Trifaith Initiative in Omaha. #interfaith #pluralism
bridge.georgetown.edu/research/abr... @dianaeck.bsky.social @pluralismproject.bsky.social @trifaith.bsky.social

29.03.2025 01:30 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Abraham's Bridge: A Documentary Review of Interfaith Connection in America's Heartland - Bridge Initiative In a world marked by conflict, division, and religious tension, "Abraham's Bridge" offers a compelling narrative of collaboration across faith traditions. This short documentary, running just under 40...

My review of "Abraham's Bridge," a documentary by Elinor Pierce about the Tri-Faith Initiative in Omaha. At a time when tensions are high, this film provides a vital case study in building understanding and resilience #interfaith #pluralism
bridge.georgetown.edu/research/abr...

25.03.2025 16:50 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I had the privilege of serving as a judge for the Abdelkader Global Citizenship Prize college contest entries. This experience was truly an honor. #interfaith #pluralism #civicsociety #leadership #citizenship #globalcitizenship Abdelkaderproject.org

02.03.2025 11:55 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Syria's rich history of peaceful coexistence is a natural blueprint for interfaith governance after the sham pluralism of the tyrannical Assad regime, writes @josefmeri.bsky.social

Full article πŸ”— www.newarab.com/opinion/its-...

05.02.2025 15:39 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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It's time Syria returns to pluralism after Assad divide-and-rule Syria's rich history of peaceful coexistence is a natural blueprint for interfaith governance after the sham pluralism of the Assad regime, says Josef Meri.

"It's time Syria returns to pluralism after Assad divide-and-rule" - Josef Meri @josefmeri.bsky.social | The New Arab #Syria #SyrianDemocracy #Pluralism #SyrianHistory #MiddleEast #MENAhttps://www.newarab.com/opinion/its-time-syria-returns-pluralism-after-assad-divide-and-rule

29.01.2025 16:23 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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It's time Syria returns to pluralism after Assad divide-and-rule Syria's rich history of peaceful coexistence is a natural blueprint for interfaith governance after the sham pluralism of the Assad regime, says Josef Meri.

The historical precedent of collaboration across sectarian lines in Syria highlights the potential for a shared future that honours both diversity and unity, writes @josefmeri.bsky.social ⬇

29.01.2025 11:57 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Reflections on Interfaith Relations: A Decade After My Time as Allianz Visiting Professor at LMU - Bridge Initiative In the fall of 2013, I arrived in Germany as the Allianz Visiting Professor for Islamic Studies at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), a role that marked a significant milestone in my ac...

shorturl.at/BgVhj

10.01.2025 12:29 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I'm excited to announce that during the Spring 2025 term, we will be launching a dedicated Religious Pluralism case study website at Georgetown University. It will showcase select case studies by my former students. #religiouspluralism #interfaithrelations.

15.11.2024 06:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@josefmeri is following 20 prominent accounts