Global Currents Articles

Another Modernity: Thanksgiving among Haitian Catholics


It is appropriate that Anne Barnard’s New York Times piece on Haitian Catholicism appeared on Thanksgiving, for one of the strongest themes of the Haitian Catholic Charismatic movement is gratitude. During nearly two years of fieldwork I conducted among Haitian Catholics, I was also struck by how often they thanked God for such blessings as food (however meager), life (however difficult) and faith (however severely challenged).

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Multicultural Modernity in Montréal


A remarkable experiment in urban modernity is taking place in Canada. Seeking a humane response to the reality of global capitalism and global migration, the government of Québec has enthusiastically embraced the concept of a “social economy.” Although this concept is explicitly secular, its Catholic heritage can be seen in its commitment to social justice and the common good.

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Islamic Feminism in Spain and Beyond


Two days last month I got up at 4 a.m. to attend the Fourth International Feminist Conference in Spain. Why so early? Because I participated via my computer in Washington, six hours behind Madrid time, thanks to live-streaming on Webislam. One can only imagine in how many time zones others were also coming on board. Interacting in cyber and real space has been the hallmark of Islamic feminism since it first burst on the global scene some two decades ago.

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