Introduction

Religions and Development (RaD) Research Program is an international research partnership exploring the relationships between several major world religions, development in low-income countries and poverty reduction. Based at the University of Birmingham, England, the programme works with researchers in other UK institutions and the focus countries.

It focuses on four countries (India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Tanzania), enabling the research team to study most of the major world religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and African traditional belief systems.

RaD India, since 2005, has undertaken a series of research projects focusing on the role of faith-based organisations of Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity and Buddhism towards developmental issues.

Between 2005 and 2010 the Religions and Development Research Programme Consortium is undertaking a series of comparative research projects that address the following questions:

* How do religious values and beliefs drive the actions and interactions of individuals and faith-based organisations?
* How do religious values and beliefs and religious organisations influence the relationships between states and societies?
* In what ways do faith communities interact with development actors and what are the outcomes with respect to the achievement of development goals?

The research will provide knowledge and tools to enable dialogue between development partners and contribute to the achievement of development goals.

The research programme is funded by the UK Department for International Development.

For more detail information on the RaD research program, please visit Religions and Development Birmingham website.