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Robert Nusbaum Center Fall Magazine Now Available Online
The soul of a citizen: pursuing an identity that matters
University News | August 13, 2024
Since its founding in 1996, the Robert Nusbaum Center (NC) at Virginia Wesleyan University has been a leading force in addressing some of the most divisive and polarizing issues in American civic life. This nationally recognized institution has continually promoted the values of diversity, dialogue, and religious freedom. 
In the latest edition of the Robert Nusbaum Center's magazine, titled “Understanding” – Diversity, Dialogue, Faith, and Freedom,” now available online, contributors center on the impact of political advertisements and rhetoric that often provoke anger, fear, and division. “This semester, much of what we’re doing focuses on our identities and our better angels,” says. Dr. Craig Wansink, the Joan P. and Macon F. Brock, Jr. Director of the Robert Nusbaum Center. “What is our civic—not political—identity? How do racial, religious, or gender identities shape us? What does it mean for us to be an American or to have a civic soul? In America, what does it mean to be decent?”
Throughout fall, the NC will also explore the roles of voting and public schools in a democracy, as well as the influence of religion in political campaigns. Reflecting on Paul Rogat Loeb's 1999 book, Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time, Dr. Wansink explains, “The book was said to have been written to respond to the feelings of powerlessness and cynicism seen as prevalent at that time. His claim was that working for social change while in community, gives us identities that matter. He concludes the book’s introduction by quoting Rabbi Hillel, who—2,000 years ago—asked, ‘If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?’ We hope the people throughout the Coastal Virginia Region will join us this semester as we reflect together on what it means to have the soul of a citizen.”
The mission of the Robert Nusbaum Center is to foster a civil society through education and to promote mutual understanding among citizens. By empowering students and community members to become leaders who value diversity, the Nusbaum Center aims to bridge the divides of religious, racial, and ideological differences, offering meaningful solutions to today's most urgent challenges.
Originally established in 1996 as the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom, the organization was renamed in the spring of 2020 to honor the legacy of Robert "Bob" Nusbaum, a humanitarian and civil rights advocate who was the original inspiration for the Center. While continuing to uphold the cause of religious freedom, the Center has broadened its mission to address a wider range of issues related to race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexuality, and ethnicity.
For more information about the Robert Nusbaum Center at Virginia Wesleyan University and its dedication to promoting diversity, dialogue, faith, and freedom, please visit www.vwu.edu/academics/robert-nusbaum-center.