Dr Pauline Kollontai
Pauline Kollontai is Professor Emeritus at York St John University, UK, and a Fellow at Wesley House College, Cambridge, UK, where she works with the Centre for Faith in Public Life. At York St John University her various roles included Deputy Dean of the School of Education and Theology, School Research Director and the Chair of two University-wide committees. Previously, she worked at the University of Leeds in the School of Adult Education, and before this at Bradford University in the Department of Peace Studies. While working at Peace Studies she participated in the Centre for Conflict Resolution and Mediation workshops delivered in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia.
Pauline’s research expertise covers the ambivalent nature of religion; the theological origins and socio-political manifestations of religious violence in ‘real-life’ contexts of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nigeria, and Israel; inter-religious peacebuilding in conflict and post-conflict contexts; and religion and human rights. From January – May 2019 Pauline worked as a member of the Resident Research Interdisciplinary, Multi-Faith and International Seminar Programme Team on ‘Religion and Violence’ at the Centre of Theological Inquiry, Princeton. She is a co-founder and one of the Series Editors for the Routledge book series, Religion Matters: On the Significance of Religion in Global Issues.
Pauline describes herself as an academic practitioner. Alongside her academic role, she is involved in a voluntary capacity with the work of several faith-based and secular groups/organizations concerned with social justice, refugees, human rights, and peacebuilding.