Candace Lukasik is Assistant Professor of Religion and Faculty Affiliate in Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures at Mississippi State University. Her research explores religion and the transnational politics of violence, migration, race, and indigeneity in the Middle East, specifically Egypt and Iraq, and its US diasporas.

Coverage of what has been called “Christian nationalism” has become ubiquitous. So ubiquitous, in fact, that some commentators in the United States have warned Christian nationalism is a democracy demolisher. Others, however, have raised concerns that coverage of Christian nationalism is “overhyped” and the concept poorly defined. In this ReligionLink Reporting Guide, we take a […]

Miranda Cruz is a professor of theology at Indiana Wesleyan University, with a focus on the practical application of Christian doctrine in life and ministry. She is also the author of Faithful Politics: Ten Approaches to Christian Citizenship and Why It Matters.

Heidi Beirich is an expert on the American and European far right, including white supremacist, anti-immigrant, antigovernment and other extremist movements. In 2020, with Wendy Via, Beirich co-founded the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism to monitor and counter increasingly transnational hate movements.

Kevin Goldberg a vice president and First Amendment expert at Freedom Forum, where he works to educate the public on the importance of the First Amendment and oversees Freedom Forum’s network of experts on issues of free expression and its relation to religious and other forms of speech.

Tad Stahnke directs the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s international educational outreach as well as its Initiative on Holocaust Denial and Antisemitism. He is also an expert in international human rights law with a focus on religion-state issues and freedom of religion or belief.

Richard Moon is a legal expert and emeritus professor at the University of Windsor who focuses on freedom of expression, conscience and religion, with numerous publications on the topic.

Irene Khan is the United Nations’ special rapporteur for freedom of opinion and expression and an advocate for human rights who formerly led Amnesty International. Contact is through the U.N. Office for the High Commissioner on Human Rights.

In this edition of ReligionLink, we provide background, tips, stories, sources and other resources for reporters to better cover the confluence of religion and political violence in the months and years ahead.