From ancient religious traditions to the modern legal institution of asylum,
anthropologist Linda Rabben traces the long history of sanctuary and analyzes
modern asylum practices in North America, Europe and elsewhere, contrasting
them with the role that courageous individuals and organizations play in offering
refuge to survivors of torture, persecution and discrimination.

She will focus on the current refugee crisis, the draconian efforts of the US and
other governments to prevent migrants from gaining refuge, and what we can do
to help the victims of unjust policies and laws.

Linda Rabben is an associate research professor of anthropology at the
University of Maryland. She has published 11 nonfiction books, including
Sanctuary and Asylum: A Social and Political History and Through a Glass
Darkly: The Social History of Stained Glass in Baltimore, plus a poetry
collection, Book of Changes.