Deputy Dean, Faculty of Education & Theology
Contact Details
T: 01904 876573 E: p.kollontai@yorksj.ac.uk
Information
Pauline Kollontai is the Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Education and Theology and teaches in the area of Religious Studies. Before coming to York St John she worked at the University of Leeds in the School of Adult Education where she worked on widening participation, particularly with
Muslim communities in West Yorkshire, and was programme director for a Certificate in Islamic
Studies, delivered predominantly in community venues. Prior to this Pauline worked at the
University of Bradford in the Department of Peace Studies. Pauline's academic qualifications are in the disciplines of Peace Studies and Theology and Religious Studies.
At York St John, Pauline teaches on the undergraduate and postgraduate programme in the areas of Judaism, Philosophy of Religion and Religion, Peace and Conflict. She is Faculty Co-ordinator for the Research Degree Programmes and Chair of the recently established Centre for Religion in
Society. Pauline has been part of the team organising the International Conference on Peace and
Reconciliation Series. Two conferences have been held since 2006: the first at York St John and the second one at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is leading the team for the third conference which will take place in November 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. Her main research interests focus on religion in social context and religion, peace Building and reconciliation. During the past two years Pauline has been in Bosnia-Herzegovina looking at the work of religious-based organisations across the ethnic communities. In 2008 she was a visiting Professor at Meiji
University, Tokyo, Japan and was a guest lecturer at the presbyterian College and Theological
Seminary, Seoul, South Korea in 2009.
» More about the The International Conference on Peace and Reconciliation

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» For further information on the BA in Theology & Religious Studies
» For further information on the MA in Theology and Religious Studies
Selected Publications
Kollontai, P., "Theodicy in a Post-Holocaust World: The Work of Dorothee Solle," in Theology, Vol.
CV, NO. 286, Autumn 2002.
Kollontai, P., "The Sacred Icon in the Contemporary World," in The Expository Times, August 2003.
Kollontai, P., "Messianic Jews and Jewish Identity," in Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, Vol. 3, No.
2, July 2004.
Kollontai, P., "Between Judaism and Christianity: The Case of Messianic Jews," in Journal of
Religion and Society, Vol 8, January 2006.
Kollontai, P., “Transplanting Religion: Defining Community and Expressing Identity, in Kim,
Sebastian C.H. and Kollontai, Pauline, (eds), Community Identity: Dynamics of Religion in Context,
T&T Clark, London, 2007.
Kollontai, P., Theoretical Perspectives on Religion as a Tool for Waging Peace in Society, Centre for International Programmes, Guest Lecture Series, Meiji University, Tokyo, March 2008.
Kollontai, P., “Religion as a Tool for Waging Peace: Theoretical Perspectives in the Context of
Bosnia-Herzegovina”, in Kim, Sebastian, C.H., Kollontai, Pauline, and Hoyland, G., (eds), Peace and Reconciliation: In Search of Shared Identity, Ashgate, Aldershot, 2008.
Kollontai, P., “Women as Leaders: Contemporary Perspectives on the Roles of Women in Messianic
Judaism", in Women in Judaism: A Multi-disciplinary Journal, Vol.6, No.1, 2009.
Kollontai, P., "Embracing the Displaced: The Work of Religious-Based Organisations in Bosnia-
Herzegovina” in Kollontai, Pauline, Kim, Sebastian C.H., and Hoyland Greg, (eds), Peace and
Reconciliation: Embracing the Displaced, forthcoming, 2011.
Kollontai, P., “Teaching Peace and Reconciliation through Sacred Art” in Gibson, S., and Moyle, S., in Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Representation of Peace and War, forthcoming, 2011.

Professional Membership
BASR
EASR
IPRA