James Walters 

James Walters is a professor in practice at the LSE International Relations Department. He is a leading academic-practitioner in the field of interfaith dialogue and religious pluralism.  

In 2010, he founded the LSE Faith Centre which promotes religious literacy and interfaith leadership skills among the LSE student body, in government, and to wider global publics. He also leads LSE Religion and Global Society, a research unit exploring the intersections of religious pluralism with global challenges such as nationalism, migration and climate change.  

James has expertise in the role of religion in global affairs, particularly the impact of regional conflicts on transnational communities.  

He has led multiple educational visits to Israel and Palestine, and worked with diplomats, policymakers and NGOs to deepen understanding of the religious dimensions of this and other conflicts.  

He also sees the climate crisis as an opportunity to strengthen solidarity between religious groups, work he has facilitated in Egypt and Indonesia and on which he was invited to speak at COP29 in Baku.  

He is skilled at convening interreligious gatherings both in the UK and around the world. He is the author of 'Loving Your Neighbour in an Age of Religious Conflict' (2019), 'Religious Imaginations: How Narratives of Faith are Shaping Today's World' (2018), and 'Religion in the Public Sphere: New Conversations' (2018).