Centers and Institutes
The University of Notre Dame supports a wide array of centers and institutes that explore the study of religion, either directly or indirectly. In concert with the guidelines of the Mellon Institute, we include here only those Notre Dame centers and institutes whose work explores religion in ways that are not primarily theological in nature.
Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute supports fellowships for faculty and graduate students from Notre Dame and elsewhere, whose projects engage normative questions, ultimate questions, or integrative questions. It also sponsors a wide array of guest lectures and conferences.
Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism
"The Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, dedicated in 1981, is recognized throughout the nation as the leading center for the historical study of Roman Catholicism in the United States" and "the Center is also winning recognition for important interdisciplinary research in American religion and culture, the experiences of women in American religious history, and the impact of the Second Vatican Council on the American Catholic community."
Center for Research on Educational Opportunity (CREO)
This center conducts basic and applied research on schools and the learning process. Researchers study the formal and informal organization of schools, the curriculum, teacher background and ability to affect student learning. Special attention is given to the study of Catholic schools, particularly in reference to the education of at-risk students.
Center for Civil and Human Rights
The Center is part of the Notre Dame law School and its diverse activities focus on human rights and the values of human dignity, peace and democracy.
Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business
The Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business seeks to build bridges among business, business studies and the humanities...by fostering dialogue between academic and corporate leaders, and by research and publications.
Center for Philosophy of Religion
The Center for Philosophy of Religion is the world’s leading center for the study of the philosophy of religion, including such topics as the rationality of belief in God, the problem of evil, and the nature of religious language.
Center for the Study of Religion and Society
The Center for the Study of Religion and Society at Notre Dame is dedicated to advancing social scientific understanding of religion in society through scholarly research, training, and publications. Activities facilitated by the Center include major data collection projects, seminars, colloquia, lectures, conferences, grant writing, and the building of an infrastructure for survey, interviews-based, and participant-observation social research. “The Center combines an emphasis on the insight and richness of cultural analyses with the strength of large-scale survey research.”
The M.A. degree in Early Christian Studies is a two year interdisciplinary program offered jointly by the Departments of Classics and Theology, with the participation of faculty in several other departments.
Institute for Latino Studies
"The mission of the Institute for Latino Studies (ILS) at the University of Notre Dame is to advance teaching and research on the Latino population using both interdisciplinary and comparative approaches. The Institute's primary aim is to further the understanding of the history, culture, literature, and sociopolitical position of Latinos in the United States."
Interdisciplinary Workshop on American Religion
The Interdisciplinary Workshop on American Religion (IWAR) seeks to bolster the study of religion from an interdisciplinary perspective by bringing together students from a variety of disciplines, including sociology, history, and political science, to discuss topics of intersection within the study of religion.
Kellogg Institute for International Studies
"The Helen Kellogg Institute for International Studies is designed to advance understanding of Third World development, particularly in Latin America, through research, education, and outreach" focusing "primarily on democratization and the quality of democracy; paths to development; religion and the Catholic Church; social movements and organized civil society; and public policies for social justice."
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
"The objectives of the Institute have been not only to educate a growing number of U.S. and international experts to prevent violence and to promote peace but also to operate as a multifaceted training, research, and policy institute in which each activity supports the other."
Nanovic Institute for European Studies
"Founded in 1993, the Nanovic Institute seeks to enhance European studies at the University of Notre Dame by providing a forum for the discussion of key issues in Europe across all fields and by stimulating faculty and student research with research grants."
Medieval Institute
"The Medieval Institute, founded in 1947, is a comprehensive teaching and research institution dedicated to the study of European culture and history between the fifth and the fifteenth centuries."
Reilly Center for Science, Technology and Values
"The Center is committed to advancing research on science and technology as human, knowledge-producing institutions" by studying "the variety of ways these institutions impact upon society at large."