The Raoul Wallenberg Institute at the University of Michigan supports cutting-edge research on issues related to ethnic and religious hatred and tolerance around the globe.
Current Research Projects
Pure Michigan: A History of Hatred in the Great Lakes Region
This project investigates the history of hatred in the Great Lakes Region, focusing on the roles that Henry Ford and the Dearborn Independent, Father Charles Coughlin, Gerald L. K. Smith, the Michigan Militia, and others played in manufacturing and spreading hatred and antisemitism throughout America in the period of 1900-1950. It is envisioned that the project will be developed into a book and a museum
exhibition.
Santa in School: History of Religious Celebrations in American Public Schools
This project examines the ways in which religious holidays have historically been celebrated in public schools in the United States. The study will look at the interactions between educators, students, and parents regarding holiday celebrations and the ways they have included and excluded those who do not celebrate Christian holidays traditionally recognized in school settings. The study will examine the legal and social implications of holiday celebration and what it tells us about the role of religion in American life.
Survey of Undergraduate Perceptions of Religious and Ethnic Backgrounds (SUPERB)
This longitudinal survey (currently being developed and tested in partnership with the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research) will begin collecting responses in Fall 2025, and will measure University of Michigan students' attitudes towards and about religious and ethnic minorities, and track changes of those views over their time at the University.
