Interdisciplinary Research Symposium on Religion and Migration in Australia and the Pacific

The Interdisciplinary Research Symposium on Religion and Migration in Australia and the Pacific is a collaborative event hosted by Whitley College, University of Divinity in collaboration with Action Research Centre Ltd.

This symposium will be held in person and for those who cannot attend we welcome participation online. A link to access the symposium will be sent prior to the event.

This symposium aims:

• To facilitate interdisciplinary dialogue by bringing together experts from diverse fields, including religious studies, sociology, anthropology, law, migration studies, theology and cultural studies. 
• Examine regional dynamics of religiously-influenced migration in Australia and the Pacific to deepen our understanding of the regional context, recognising the diverse religious landscapes and migration patterns that characterise this part of the world.
• Promote inclusivity and diversity by exploring how different religious traditions impact on the experiences of migrants and refugees.
• Addressing contemporary issues at the intersection of religion and migration, including the impact of religious beliefs on migrant identity, the role of religious institutions in supporting migrants, and the challenges and opportunities presented by religious diversity in the migration process.

Event Speakers and Topics

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Professor Fethi Mansouri, Founding Director & Alfred Deakin Professor & UNESCO Chair in Comparative Research on Cultural Diversity and Social Justice at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Melbourne.

Alfred Deakin Professor Fethi Mansouri holds a research chair in Migration and Intercultural Studies (2008-), the UNESCO Chair for Comparative Research on Cultural Diversity and Social Justice (2013-) and was named Australia’s Top Researcher in Human Migration (2023-24) in the Australian Newspaper Research Magazine. Professor Mansouri is the Director of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at the Deakin University Australia. He is the editor of the Journal of Intercultural Studies, founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Citizenship and Globalisation Studies and founding co-editor of the international journal of Social Inclusion. Since 2010, Professor Mansouri has been serving as an expert advisor to the UN on cultural diversity and intercultural relations. He also sits on the advisory boards of various government agencies and NGOs including the Victorian State government and the Australian Intercultural Society respectively. He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academic of Social Science (FASSA) in 2020.


Rev. Dr. Katalina Tahaafe-Williams, UCIC SA (Global Displacement and Global Citizenship in the Context of Migration and Social policy)

Rev Dr Katalina Tahaafe-Williams (PhD, University of Birmingham, UK) is an Oceanian Womanist Theologian, with extensive experience in global migration and displacement, having worked closely with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UN agencies in Geneva as the former World Council of Churches executive staff responsible for the WCC’s work on global migration and refugees.

She is co-editor of the recently published Edinburgh Companion to Global Christianity: Christianity in Oceania and of Contextual Theology for the Twenty-First Century. She has published several essays in International Review of Mission, is a contributor to the University of St Andrew’s Encyclopedia of Theology on the topic of Contextual Theology and is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Divinity.

She is a respected global ecumenical missiologist and public and contextual theologian with strong interests in global mission, evangelism, and social justice. She is the Minister for Trinity Uniting Church in the City of Perth, Western Australia.

Dr Nathan Wills, Barrister of Supreme Court of NSW/ Solicitor & Barrister at High Court of Australia & Migration Agent (Migration, Resettlement, and Legal Framework)

Nathan holds a PhD from Southern Cross University which was conferred in 2023.  Nathan was awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship to undertake the PhD research.  He completed the Juris Doctor degree at the University of Southern Queensland in 2012 and was awarded the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. He holds degrees from Southern Cross University, Tabor College and the Australian National University. He is a former Registered Nurse and has specialised in both International Health and Development and Aged Care. He has over 15 years experience of ongoing involvement in Myanmar (Burma) including 3 years full-time work (2006-2009) as an aid worker. Nathan is an admitted Lawyer in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and is a Solicitor and Barrister in the High Court of Australia.  Nathan is also a Registered Migration Agent and has provided assistance to those seeking protection in Australia for 9 years, including those from Myanmar (Burma) through Visa Assist Australia (www.visaassist.com.au).

Prof Philip Hughes, Emeritus Professor, Alphacrucis University College & CRA (An Overview of the Impact of Recent Immigration on the Religious Profile of Australia)

Philip Hughes was the senior research officer with the Christian Research Association (CRA) from its foundation in 1985 until 2016. More recently, he has worked at Harvest Bible College, assisting with the development of the Doctorate of Ministry program, and then at Alphacrucis University College where he taught research methods and supervised doctoral candidates. He is now an Emeritus Professor at Alphacrucis University College. He is also an honorary research fellow with the University of Divinity and with the National Centre for Pastoral Research. With postgraduate degrees in philosophy, theology and education, he is particularly interested in the relationship between Christianity and culture, and has written many books on religious faith in Australia, on ministry and on religious education. The latest book is Australia's Religious and Non-Religious Profiles: Analysis of the 2021 Census Data.

Dr Enqi Weng, Deakin University, Vice President, The Australian Association for the Study of Religion (A Decolonial Turn: A Sociological Rethinking of ‘Religion’ in Australia)

Dr Enqi Weng is an interdisciplinary researcher dedicated to research that fosters social inclusion and equity for diverse communities. Her research interests lie at the intersection of cultural/religious diversity, digital culture and decoloniality; she is drawn to digital media as sites for her research. Her book, Media Perceptions of Religious Changes in Australia: Of Dominance and Diversity, was published by Routledge in 2020.

She is Vice President of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion (AASR) and Reviews Editor for the Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture. She has taught in sociology and media & communications units at Deakin University and RMIT University.

Rev. Dr Titus S. Olorunnisola, Interim Director of Research, Whitley College, University of Divinity (Promoting Religious Integration in an Era of Constant Human Mobility)

Dr Titus S. Olorunnisola has over a decade of research experience on social issues especially on the relationship between faith, social change, social inclusion and belonging. A former Commonwealth Scholar at the University of Divinity, his research addresses the subject on migration, refugees and diaspora issues. He is currently Interim Director of Research at Whitley College, University of Divinity, where he oversees research projects Higher Degree by Research programs of the college. Titus has also researched extensively including as part of research team on an European Union (EU) commissioned project in conjunction with the Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) on the project tagged Models for Integration through Religion Activation, Cultural Learning and Exchange (MIRACLE). Titus is the Chief Executive Officer at the Action Research Centre and leads the research team. Titus is a Higher Degree by Research Supervisor at Alphacrucis University College.

Rev. Dr Brian Koliah, Malua Theological College, Samoa (The Bible, Migration, and the Changing face of Christianity in the Pacific Region)

Brian Fiu Kolia is a second-generation Australian-born Samoan. He hails from the Samoan villages of Sili, Satapuala, Faleaseela and Tufutafoe. He is an ordained minister of the Congregational Christian Church Samoa, and a lecturer in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Malua Theological College. He holds a PhD from the University of Divinity, in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia. His research interests are in Hebrew Bible, and reading the text from diasporic, decolonising, Pasifika/Moana cultural & indigenous/native perspectives. More importantly, he is a husband to Tanaria and a father to Elichai.

Prof. Mark G. Brett, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Whitley College, University of Divinity (Migration Policies and Christian Advocacy)

Mark G. Brett is a white Australian biblical scholar who was raised in Papua New Guinea. Having taught in Naarm/Melbourne since 1992, his research has focused on ethnicity, political theology and decolonial studies. His most recent books are Political Trauma and Healing: Biblical Ethics for a Postcolonial World (Eerdmans, 2016), Locations of God: Political Theology in the Hebrew Bible (OUP, 2019), and Indigenous Rights and the Legacies of the Bible: From Moses to Mabo (OUP, 2024).

Dr Ruth Powell, Director of NCLS Research, Associate Professor and Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University (How Asian migration is shaping the Australian Church:  Insights on how Asian—Australians transmit faith practices to their children)

Dr Ruth Powell is Director of NCLS Research, Associate Professor and Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University, and Honorary Professor at Alphacrucis College.  Ruth’s research interests lie in mapping spiritual life and wellbeing in communities, including schools.  She also focuses on congregational studies, including church health, age differences and cultural diversity, effective leadership. Major projects include the National Church Life Survey, which forms one of the largest, most comprehensive databases on church life in the world, the annual Australian Community Survey and the Student Spiritual Life Survey. Ruth’s role involves managing research projects on church, school and community life, as well as developing resources for schools, local churches, denominational leaders and other community agencies. 

This symposium will be a collaborative and transformative event that contributes to knowledge, fosters dialogue, and ultimately improves the way we understand and manage the complex interplay between religion and migration in this diverse and dynamic region.

SPECIAL FEATURE

The Symposium will also feature a report on the Better Neighbours Project, which investigates the narratives of integration of African migrants in Australia. This research is being conducted by Rev. Dr Titus Olorunnisola, Dr Alessia Passarelli (Italy) & Rev. Assoc Prof. Darrell Jackson who will present the findings of this project. This will be followed by the Better Neighbours – Community Response Panel (facilitated by Rev. Dr Titus Olorunnisola).