Jolyon Mitchell begins his tenure as a guest scholar
Jolyon Mitchell, a renowned scholar specializing in the fields of Religion and Peacebuilding, is set to join the University of Edinburgh as a Visiting Fellow on 31st January.
Mitchell's expertise lies in the intersection of religion and conflict transformation, the role of interfaith dialogue in peacebuilding, and the impact of religious media and communication on peace and conflict. He also has a keen interest in memory and ethics in post-conflict societies, making him a significant figure in understanding how religious ideas and institutions can both challenge and promote peacebuilding efforts globally.
Mitchell's academic journey began at the Universities of Cambridge, Durham, and Edinburgh. He has authored several books, including "Promoting Peace and Inciting Violence: The Role of Religion and Media" (Routledge, 2012), "Martyrdom: A Very Short Introduction" (OUP, 2012), "Religion and War: A Very Short Introduction" (OUP, 2021), "Media Violence and Christian Ethics" (CUP, 2007), and "The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Peace" (2022).
Before joining the University of Edinburgh, Mitchell worked as a Producer and Journalist with BBC World service and Radio 4. He also has experience in radio broadcasting, specifically with BBC World service and Radio 4. His work on the role of religion and media in peacebuilding processes has been instrumental in exploring how religious narratives, memory, and ethical frameworks contribute to peace and reconciliation in contexts of violent conflict.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Mitchell has served as an ordained minister within the Scottish Episcopal Church at various churches for nearly three decades, including St James, Leith and currently St John’s, Edinburgh. He was the President of TRS-UK (the national association for Theology and Religious Studies in the UK) from 2012 to 2018.
Mitchell is currently the Director of CTPI (the Centre for Theology and Public Issues at the University of Edinburgh). He has been working with Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious leaders, as well as Palestinian and Israeli journalists, on a peacebuilding project in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and beyond.
Mitchell is also currently completing a book titled "Passion Play: The Mysterious Resurgence of Religious Drama" (OUP, 2024) and editing "Picturing Peace: Photography, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding" (Bloomsbury, 2024).
Furthermore, Mitchell is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a life member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge. He has served on international film juries at the Cannes, Berlin, and Venice film festivals and has taught and supervised numerous PhD students, Post-Doctoral fellows, and Ordinands, and has lectured around the world.
With Mitchell's extensive experience and expertise in Religion, Violence, and Peacebuilding, his arrival at the University of Edinburgh is undoubtedly a significant addition to the academic community.
In his extensive career, Jolyon Mitchell, the new Visiting Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, focuses on education-and-self-development areas such as the impact of personal-growth initiatives like interfaith dialogue, learning, and religious media on peacebuilding. His current projects, including a book on "Passion Play: The Mysterious Resurgence of Religious Drama" and "Picturing Peace: Photography, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding," continue to foster personal-growth and learning opportunities in the field of religion and peacebuilding.
