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love

FEATURED RESEARCH PROJECT

Compassionate Love Research

Since 2001, the Fetzer Institute has supported more than thirty scientific studies on compassionate love and altruistic love. Nine new studies explore compassionate love within a broad range of relationships, including marital, parent-child, families, intergroup, and relations between religious and cultural groups.

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FEATURED RESEARCHER

Richard J. Davidson, PhD

Dr. Richard Davidson is known for a body of research that indicates how contemplative practices such as meditation change how the brain behaves. Davidson is currently leading the Fetzer Initiative on the Neuroscience of Compassion, Love, and Forgiveness at the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Websites of Interest

Organizations and programs that have an affinity with our work are listed below:

The Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona »

The Center for the Study of Science and Religion, Columbia University »

Greater Good Science Center, University of California Berkeley »

The Institute for Research on Unlimited Love »

Mind and Life Institute »

Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies »

Previously Funded Projects

Previously Funded Projects

Previous work has focused on three areas: scientific research and spiritual inquiry, individual and community engagement, and communication and outreach to advance our mission..

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Research
Visit our Research section to see a complete listing of projects and learn more about scientific research supported by the Fetzer Institute.

Compassionate Love Research
Forgiveness Research Working Group
Global Violence Prevention
Shamatha Project: Exploring Human Transformation

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Religious Traditions & Spiritual Pathways
Recognizing that religious and wisdom traditions are a rich source of teachings and practices on love and forgiveness, we have informed our work by researching the teachings and practices of love and forgiveness across religious traditions, exploring contemplative practices, and seeking interfaith engagement.

Abrahamic Family Reunion
Contemplative Living - The Merton Institute
Contemplative Mind in Society
Forgiveness and Religious Leadership
Healing Across Religious Divides: Stories of Interfaith Friendships
Incarnational Centering Prayer

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Emerging Paradigms in Science & Spirituality
Through dialogue and targeted research, we have explored the integration of science and spirituality.

Spirituality and the Applied Sciences: Biology and Economics

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Transforming Ourselves & Our Communities
Individual and community transformation are inexorably linked and interdependent. We have engaged individuals to cultivate skills that deepen and embody their capacity to express love and forgiveness in their relationships, and to model these qualities in their inner and outer lives.

Collective Wisdom Initiative
Coming to the Table: Healing the Legacy of Slavery
Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimages
Deepening the American Dream
Ethics, Leadership and Democracy: The Heart of Law
Generosity of Spirit: Vocation, Story & Service
Great Lakes PeaceJam
Inter-Generational Mentoring Community
Relationship Centered Care Initiative
Seasons Fund for Social Transformation
The Welcome Table: An Era of Dialogue on Race
Trauma, Narrative & Forgiveness: A Gathering of World Practitioners
Uncovering the Heart of Higher Education

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Transforming Our World
This area has supported key individuals and organizations that are at the leading edge of conflict transformation and peacebuilding work.

Conflict Transformation Collaborative
Global Forum for Business as an Agent of World Benefit
Global Youth Leadership Collaborative
Leadership Wisdom Initiative
Peacebuilding Apprenticeship Program
The Powers of Place Initiative
Transformational Leadership

media

Media Projects
Storytelling is one of the most powerful means of sharing, engaging, and inspiring individuals and communities. We have sought media projects that offer innovative approaches to sharing stories and we look for projects that will reach large numbers of people with messages of love, forgiveness, and compassion as well as projects that are tailored to specific audiences.

Bill Moyers Journal
God in America
Power of Forgiveness
Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett
Spirituality & Practice


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Community Engagement
Community engagement takes place both face to face and online and we have supported unique efforts that seek to engage individuals and communities on issues of great importance.

Abraham Lincoln Town Halls
Campaign for Love & Forgiveness
Charter for Compassion
MEPEACE.ORG