The Beach Pluralism Project
Welcome to the Beach Pluralism Project! Pluralism is a worldview that promotes respectful and constructive engagement with those who are different from us or who hold different viewpoints. It supports peaceful coexistence with others, regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, gender identity, documented status, or age. This approach works to create an inclusive, compassionate, and socially equitable society and holds that diversity benefits us all. This project is generously funded by President Jane Conoley and supported by Provost Karyn Scissum-Gunn as well as CLA Dean Deborah Thien.
Housed in the College of Liberal Arts, this project highlights the beautiful tapestry of religious and ethnic diversity we have at CSULB, fosters interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and furthers understanding across divides. The Beach Pluralism Project seeks to enhance student skills in conflict resolution, fostering belonging, interfaith competency, and peacemaking. We are also committed to creating space on campus for difficult conversations towards conflict resolution and negotiating respectful disagreement. Let’s learn to turn walls into tables!
The Conoley Fellows Program is a pilot initiative of the Beach Pluralism Project. The 2024-2025 Conoley Fellows are undergraduate scholars from all disciplines who have been selected to engage in a yearlong study of the theory and practice of pluralism, offered by the Department of Religious Studies. The cohort is taking a two-course sequence training them in the vision and knowledge of pluralism, mastery of the required skill set, opportunities for application, and hands-on experiences participating in national pluralism networks. Fellowship activities include field trips to appropriate museums and interfaith institutions, as well as dinners with interfaith or community activists.
The Beach Pluralism Project wants to hear from you! Directed by Dr. Kathryn Chew and Dr. Sophia Pandya, this project is still being developed. We hope to plan further undertakings such as sponsoring symposia, holding a film series, highlighting women’s interfaith activism, and more.
