Public policy and religious diversity: lessons from place of worship development

February 2nd 2011

RIIM -- Metropolis Policy Symposium

Mosk Centre for Dialogue

Heidi Hoernig

Faculty of Arts – Research Services

McGill University

Religious diversity & the public domain

1. Why does religious diversity matter to public policy and public institutions?

2. How does it manifest?

3. How is it important?

4. What lessons can we learn across policy domains?

• How many secular upbringing and how many people had some element of religion in your childhood/ formative years?

• How many people have attended:– buddhist temple ,christian church, mosque,

mandir, gurdwara, synagogue

• How many deal with religious diversity in your current job?

• How many expect to be addressing policy or program issues dealing with religious diversity?

Presentation outline

• Religious community characteristics

• Defining spatial needs

• Place of worship development experiences

• Three readings of places of worship

• Implications for policy

Resources: financial &

human

Religious community characteristics

Religious community spatial needs

Religion & culture

Demographic & spatial

characteristics

Defining community needs

Development experience

Spatial context

Social context

Policy context

Economic context

Religious community characteristics& spatial needs

Rel. community development experience

Place of worship

Religious communities

Buddhist• Theraveda (1)• Mahayana (2)• Humanist (1)

Muslim• Sunni (7)• Shia (1)• Ahmaddiya (1)

Sikh• Nanaksar (1)• Others (3)

Hindu• Various (6)• Arya Samaj (1)

Non-Euro Christian• West Asian (1)• Chinese (5)

Place of worship functions

• Religious activities

• Religious/commercial

• Settlement/integration

• Socialization/retention

• Symbolic expression

Long-term perspective

• Variable (2 – 25 years)

• Changes in community composition

• Needs & priorities

• Learning curve

• Land use issues

Evolution of places of worship

Temporary

Recycled

New construction

Expansion

Religion, culture & place of worship development

• Multicultural temporalities

• Social activity patterns

• Organization of space

Multicultural temporalities

• Calendars

• Daily & weekly patterns

• Annual patterns

Religion, culture & place of worship development

• Multicultural temporalities

• Social activity patterns

• Organization of space

Social activity patterns

• Attendance

• Worship behaviour

• Large religious events

• Life cycle events

• Religious education

• Secular activities

Religion, culture & place of worship development

• Multicultural temporalities

• Social activity patterns

• Organization of space

Religion, culture & spatial needs

• Architecture

• Common & unique spatial needs

• Site design

• Public space

Inter/intra communitysimilarities & differences

• Height

• Residential facilities– Major challenge– 4/5 religions– Intra difference

Search process

Search process

• Variability: assistance, duration, scope

• Enabling/ Limiting: resources, land supply

Criteria

• Zoning/Affordability/ Size

• Accessibility

• Other site requirements/preferences

Community consolidation process

• Continuous act of creation

• Uncertainty

• Interethnic dynamics

• Key to fund-raising

efforts

Community capacity• Financial resources

– Affiliation– Religious/cultural patterns– Community characteristics

• Human resources– Cultural capital

• professional expertise

– Social capital

Meeting spatial needs• Weak correlation of needs & difficulties

• Cultural, social & financial capital

• Variety of strategies– Compliance, avoidance, adaptation,

accommodation, tactical

PW development experiences

• Evolving & dynamic

• Spectrum of needs, resources & experiences

Multiple readings

• Positive values

• Ideal characteristics of urban spaces

• Integration of minority groups into society

Positive values

• Sacred space• Architectural asset• Religious community

centre• Neighbourhood

centre

• Expression of ethnoreligious identity

• Multiculturalism or cosmpolitanism

• Tourist or heritage asset

• Vehicle for social or community development

Ideal qualities of urban space

• Conceptualization of residential, mixed use/ commercial, industrial and green belt zones

• Perceived value/ contribution to space

• Perceived nuisance & mitigation

Integration of minority groups• Religious vs. Secular• Religious minorities

vs. majorities• « Visible » minorities

vs. majorities• Immigrants vs. native-

born• Ethnic minorities vs

majorities

• Social• Spatial

Best practices

• Address both land use AND social and political issues

• Long-term perspective, holistic approach

• Leadership – political, bureaucratic, religious community,

professional planners

• Communication, mutual understanding

Practices

• Places of worship as community assets

• Community plan policy

• Zoning by-laws, parking standards

• Education & awareness

• Inter-religious & intercultural dialogue

Why does it matter?

• Equity – Charter of rights & freedoms

• Culture– Multiculturalism legislation

• Intersectionality

Lessons from PW development

Equity

• Discrimination

• Different religious groups receive different treatment – Equity vs equal– Public vs private

Lessons from PW Development

Culture

• Cultural accommodation– Liberal theory of multiculturalism– Chronopolis (parking)– Equity vs. Equal treatment (parking)– Diversity within religions

Lessons from PW Development

Intersectionality

• Intersection of characteristics, needs and context

Places of worship & public policy

• Sites of new forms of multiculturalism

• Gateways, sites and resources– communication, collaboration and intervention

Newcomer

Traditional discourse on multiculturalism in Canada

Host society

• Whose rights, under what circumstances? • Integration vs. Exclusion• Zone of negotiation, accommodation, “tolerance”• Boundaries and absolute limits?

Private Public

Religion, places of worship & new discourse

Multiculturalism

Household/Family

Intra-ethniccommunity

Inter-ethnicCo-religiousMinority-minority

Inter-ethnicMin/majority

Places of worship as gateways

• Outreach

• Variety of services

• Mutual learning

• Challenges– Public – open to all vs. religious membership– Early stages – variable stability– Not all are interested