News & Events

  The Centre for Law, Religion and Society is delighted to announce this upcoming course, developed in collaboration with the Irish Centre for Human Rights.  Course: Innovative Legislative Strategies to Combat Domestic Violence Venue: Online Period: July – August 2025 Audience: The course is designed for Persian speaking audience and will be conducted entirely in “Persian”. This course is ideal for law students and graduates, civil society activists, journalists, social researchers, and anyone with a passion for social justice and human rights.  Course overview/objective: This course is designed to strengthen participants’ practical knowledge in the areas of legislation and protection against domestic violence. To learn more about the course, please watch our informative video. Course programme:  The course programme covers a wide range of topics related to domestic violence, including key international treaties and conventions related to domestic violence, best practices in legislative alignment, local domestic violence laws analysis, case studies and best practices of legislative reform from Türkiye, UAE, and Ireland, and facilitated dialogue and discussions. A detailed course schedule and specific topics will be provided upon enrollment. How to apply:  Enrollment in this course is determined on a "first come, first served" basis due to limited capacity. Selected participants will receive notifications via email, and contact information can be found on the course application. The link to apply is the following: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFn7cvdZeC1qDYYHS_ig9Sj9N5tCQXznH37eeV-Pncb_nedQ/viewform   Course fee:  Free of charge Attendance certificate:  Certificates will be awarded to participants who have attended at least two out of three course sessions.    

On 10 April 2025, we launched the Centre for Law, Religion and Society at the University of Galway. The main event of the launch was a conversation between Professor Mary McAleese, former president of Ireland, and Professor Roja Fazaeli,  director of the Centre. The subject of the conversation was Building Bridges? A Conversation on Law and Religion in Contemporary Society.   Professor McAleese spoke of her experience growing up in a divided society amidst the sectarian violence of the Troubles and how she has dedicated her life and career to building bridges between different communities on the island of Ireland. Professor Fazaeli enquired about Professor McAleese’s studies of canon law with a focus on children’s rights following on from the presidency, and there was extended discussion of how those studies have influenced her continued rights-based work. There was also consideration of the many ways that the Centre will advance research around law, religion, and society in relation to practices of advocacy and activism. The launch was attended by the Interim President of the University of Galway, Professor Peter McHugh; the Executive Dean of College of Business, Public Policy & Law, Professor Alma McCarthy, and the Dean of the University of Galway School of Law, Professor Martin Hogg, each of whom also offered  meaningful remarks on the occasion.  

The School of Law, University of Galway invites you to   The Launch of the Centre for Law, Religion and Society:  Professor Roja Fazaeli in conversation with  Professor Mary McAleese  President of Ireland - 1997-2011, Professor of Children, Law & Religion at University of Glasgow and Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin  Date: 10 April 2025  Time: 4.30 pm – 5.30 pm (Reception to follow) Venue: Aula Maxima, University of Galway  The Centre for Law, Religion and Society was established in 2024 by Prof. Roja Fazaeli  at the School of Law, University of Galway.   The Centre is a multi-disciplinary university hub of excellence that develops ideas and projects at the intersections of law, religion, and society, both nationally and internationally.  The Centre creates spaces for collaboration and innovation, bringing together researchers, policymakers, NGOs, and the wider community, through seminars, workshops, and public forums. The Centre promotes research on law and policy in relation to moral frameworks and applied ethics, including religion, with a particular emphasis on advancing social and gender justice.