One of our major goals is to improve public engagement and understanding of issues related to ‘unbelief’ and ‘unbelievers’. Despite the large numbers of people identifying as nonreligious, academic research and media coverage often hone in on a limited set of perspectives and beliefs. New cultural movements like the Sunday Assembly (or ‘Atheist Church’) and activist movements associated with prominent figures such as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris have taken centre stage, while the beliefs and ‘unbeliefs’ of many millions of nonreligious people around the world who may not share their views are left unexplored and uncommented upon. Moreover, much coverage is pitted ‘for’ or ‘against’ the nonreligious person, rather than aiming at better understanding.
We have appointed a number of media professionals, academics, and others experienced in public engagement activities to communicate research data and findings in accessible, compelling and innovative way to wider audiences. Our public engagement projects will produce documentary films, audio and photographic essays, classroom resources, info-graphics and events.
Follow the links below to learn more about the projects.
Unbelief in life story interviews
National Life Stories at the British Library
Project lead: Paul Merchant
The Temple of Humanity: Brazil’s unbelievers
TAO Produções Artisticas Ltda
Project lead: Ariane Porto
Between Beliefs
Banyak Films
Project lead: Briony Campbell
Meet the Unbelievers & A History of Unbelief
History Hit
Project leads: Sanderson Jones and Becky Rothwell
Unbelief: Creating conversations with the press, policymakers and public
NatCen
Project lead: Kristy O’Driscoll
Lives of unbelief: A photographic essay
Project lead: Aubrey Wade
Understanding unbelief in the RE classroom
REToday
Project lead: Stephen Pett