1. 2026-04. No Shaykh, No Slave: Anti-Structure and Egalitarian Mysticism in Tahirih's Liminal Poetics. Neha Mohajer. Tahirih’s poetry rejects clerical and social hierarchy, using liminal mystical imagery to envision equality, women’s emancipation, spiritual renewal, and communal justice. Articles.
2. 2026-02. Coordination for the Common Good: Governing Institutions in Partnership with Community Action and Individual Initiative. Bahá'í International Community. Statement for the 64th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD). Social progress emerges through coordinated partnership among institutions, communities, and individuals, grounded in trust, consultation, and shared purpose. BIC.
3. 2025-12-31. Message to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors. Universal House of Justice. Regarding the progress of the Nine Year Plan of the worldwide Bahá’í community (2022–2031). UHJ-letters.
4. 2025-12-22. Expressions of Equality in the Family. Bahá'í World Centre. Short documentary, on how the principle of equality is reshaping patterns of life among several families in New Delhi. Video.
5. 2025-12. Games of Religion and the Game of Knowledge. Filip Boicu, Steven Phelps. On the roles religion plays relative to growth, social change and development, justice, knowledge, and cosmology. Video.
6. 2025-09. Principled Engagement: The Bahá'í Community of Iran's Approach to Social Change. Iqan Shahidi. Analyzes the Iranian Bahá’í community’s principled, non-adversarial engagement in social change, highlighting constructive resilience, community building, and non-political contributions despite persecution. Articles.
7. 2025-08. Elements of a Culture of Peace: A Bahá'í Perspective. Tiffani Betts Razavi. A Bahá’í framework for peace emphasizes shared beliefs, moral purpose, and collective agency, illustrating how spiritual principles and community practices foster a constructive culture of peace. Articles.
8. 2025-05. Role of Religions and Faith-Based Actors in Advancing Spiritual and Material Prosperity on the Continent of Africa, The. Bahá'í International Community. Religious and interfaith actors in Africa can unite diverse communities, inspire collective action, and advance spiritual and material prosperity through dialogue, cooperation, and moral leadership. BIC.
9. 2025-04-21. Evolving Administrative Order, An. Bahá'í World. The Bahá’í administrative order, evolving globally, fosters unity, decentralization, and social transformation, offering a cooperative model of governance rooted in Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of humanity’s collective maturity. Articles.
10. 2025-04-21. New Institution of Learning, A: The Training Institute. Bahá'í World. The Bahá’í training institute builds capacity for individual and community transformation through study, service, and collective learning. Articles.
11. 2025-04-21. Fostering a Worldwide Movement of Youth. Bahá'í World. Youth empowerment through spiritual education, service, and community-building programs, cultivating agents of social transformation amid mounting global challenges. Articles.
12. 2025-03-20. Naw-Rúz 182 - To the Bahá'ís of Iran. Universal House of Justice. Emphasizing family, resilience, social progress, and the role of the Iranian Bahá’ís in fostering unity amid global challenges. UHJ-letters.
13. 2025-03-19. Regarding Family Life and Marriage. Universal House of Justice. Letter emphasizing the Bahá’í family’s role in fostering unity, equality, and spiritual growth, shaping communities, and resisting societal disintegration through service, education, and evolving family structures. UHJ-letters.
14. 2025-03-10. Towards A European Union Anti-Racism Strategy. Bahá'í International Community. The BIC Brussels Office calls for a transformative EU anti-racism strategy, emphasizing human unity, education, community engagement, and youth leadership to foster lasting societal change. BIC.
15. 2025-03. Framework for Action and the Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, The. Derik Smith. Explores parallels between the Bahá’í framework for action and the civil rights movement, emphasizing systematic organization, collective action, and sustainable social transformation over individual heroism. Articles.
16. 2025-03. Exploring a Framework for the Elimination of Racial Prejudice in America. Paul Lample. Explores a Bahá'í-inspired framework for eliminating racial prejudice in America, fostering unity, and advancing Bahá'u'lláh’s vision through community-building and social transformation. Includes a compilation on the elimination of racial prejudice. Articles.
17. 2025. In Full Partnership: Thirty Years of Women's Advancement at the United Nations and Beyond. Bahá'í International Community. Collection of statements by the Bahá’í International Community on the subject of gender equality. Books.
18. 2025. From Sensate Decline to Spiritual Renewal: Sorokin, the Crisis of Meaning, and the Bahá'í Faith. Behrooz Sabet. On Sorokin’s cyclical theory of cultural change in light of the contemporary crisis of meaning and the possibilities for spiritual renewal; no civilization can endure without some form of transcendental orientation; the Faith and integrative spirituality. Essays.
19. 2025. Bahá'í Work as Worship, Prayer as Practice: Chapter 15. Deborah Clark Vance. Religion is logical and progressive; it moves humanity closer to a unified world; human reality is our thought, not our bodies; life is for acquiring spiritual attributes; Baháʼí temples are symbols of unity, fostering peace and community-building. Articles.
20. 2024-05-26. To the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity. Universal House of Justice. The Bahá’í response to conflicts and related humanitarian crises in the world; encouraging Bahá’í youth to contribute to peace and unity by avoiding political involvement, focusing on moral principles, and promoting constructive social change. UHJ-letters.
21. 2024. Religious Perspectives on the Narratives of America: The Search for Just, Honest, Inclusive and Forward-looking Tellings. Audrey C. Price, ed, Selvi Adaikkalam Zabihi, ed. Eleven essays by contributors from different communities, exploring how religious insights can create an inclusive, empowering American narrative that fosters unity and racial justice across diverse communities. Books.
22. 2023-2026. BWNS Podcasts: Conversations and Insights from the Field. Bahá'í World News Service. Links to 42 interviews and narratives highlighting how Bahá’í individuals and communities worldwide apply spiritual principles to education, governance, equality, and social transformation, fostering unity and the betterment of society. Audio.
23. 2023-11-29. European Strategy for the Elderly, A: The Irreplaceable Role of Community Life. Bahá'í International Community. Statement envisioning the elderly as invaluable contributors to community life, emphasizing their role as active participants in shaping a cohesive and vibrant society. BIC.
24. 2023-11-28. Reflections on the First Century of the Formative Age. Universal House of Justice. Overview of the Faith's developments and activities during the previous century, including the Guardianship, global expansion, community building and development, participation in societal discourse, and construction of the Bahá'í World Centre. UHJ-letters.
25. 2023-09. Notes on Uncertainty and the World: Theories for Social Change? A Framing. Filip Boicu. On what theories are dominant in a particular setting via the use of a basic grid; social and religious applications; religions, social change, and strategies for growth; gaps in existing Bahá'í literature. Articles-unpublished.
26. 2023-01-08. Rising to the Challenge of Reconciliation. Roshan Danesh, Douglas White III. Analyzing the legacy of colonialism and racism in Canada and examining the profound, multifaceted process of social transformation that genuine reconciliation implies. Articles.
27. 2023. Exploring Abdu'l-Bahá's Insights on Strikes and Labor Movement within the Framework of an Integrated Global Economy. Behrooz Sabet. This paper explores ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s vision of labor and strikes as moral and social issues, proposing a spiritually grounded theory of labor rooted in praxis, ethical reform, and cooperation as essential to justice and global economic transformation. Articles-unpublished.
28. 2023. From Outsider to Outsider: A Study of Iranian Bahá'ís' Identity in Iran and the United States. Naghme Naseri Morlock. The denial of a national identity of Bahá'ís in Iran; their experiences in the U.S.; cultural differences between immigrant and American Bahá'ís; the importance of religious identity; how religious, national, and cultural identities are negotiated. Articles.
29. 2023. Harvard Pluralism Project: Bahá'í. Author unknown. Six overview essays on Bahá'í history, beliefs, and practices. (Offsite) Essays.
30. 2022-2023. Concept Notes. Author unknown. 18 essays from the Office of Public Affairs of Bahá'ís of India website, on a variety of topics related to family, women, children, peace, equality, diversity, religion, culture, and the arts. Essays.
31. 2022-11-01. Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Nine Year Plan. Universal House of Justice. Matters relating to the Nine Year Plan (2022-2031), ethnic and cultural diversity, humanity's crisis of identity, prejudice, economic injustice, and Africa. UHJ-letters.
32. 2022-10. Bahá'í Approach to Non-Involvement in Partisan Political Activity. Shoghi Effendi, Universal House of Justice, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, United States Bahá'í National Center, comp. . Resource for individual and group study, in light of the current civil and political unrest in the U.S., Iran, and the world; reasons for the Bahá’í stance against partisan activity and its approach to social change; Bahá'í use of social media. Compilations-NSA.
33. 2022-05. Karlberg's Notion of Consultation and Bahá'í Consultation (Ontological Truths, Knowledge and Ethics). Filip Boicu. Michael Karlberg proposes a "consultative epistemology" as central to the Bahá'í methodology for social change. The claim is that a new model for civilization building has been born, one that transcends previous limitations. Articles-unpublished.
34. 2022. Abdu'l‐Bahá y la cuestión racial. Amin E. Egea (published as Amin E. Egea Farzannejad). Pese a compartir objetivos comunes, la perspectiva sobre la armonía racial del líder de la religión bahá’í y el de muchos de sus coetáneos era diametralmente opuesta y, también lo eran sus propuestas para la transformación social. Articles.
35. 2022. Principle of the Oneness of Humankind, The: Strong Foundationalism, Non-Adversarialism, and the Imperatives of Our Time. Filip Boicu. Some of the ways in which the concept of globalization has been framed in the recent past; the vision of Shoghi Effendi; The Seven Valleys and social change; moral codes and ethical living; the oneness of humankind and non-adversarialism. Articles-unpublished.
36. 2021-11-02. Bahá'í Law. Roshan Danesh. Bahá'í law in its historical, cultural, social, religious, political, and legal contexts, within processes and discourses of social change and legal revitalization within Islamic societies; responses to modernity, colonization, and justice movements. Video.
37. 2021-02. Reflections of Our Values: Digital Technologies and a Just Transition. Bahá'í International Community. A statement to the 59th session of the Commission for Social Development on technological innovation, consultation on technological adoption, and working inclusively between communities and governments. BIC.
38. 2021. Ideas, Religion, and Social Change. Julia Berger. Links to a book chapter and video presentation and presentation notes (offsite) presented for the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities, on meaning-making processes driving NGO behavior and the Bahá'í Faith's pursuit of social change. Excerpts.
39. 2020-11. Creating an Inclusive Narrative. Australian Bahá'í Community. Culmination of a series of nationwide round tables, conveying the vision of Australians to foster a socially cohesive society. Articles.
40. 2020. Vision and the Pursuit of Constructive Social Change. Holly Hanson. Observations about the elements of building new social structures; examples from moments in African American history in the United States to explore how constructive social change involves a systematic cultivation of vision; social transformation. Articles.
41. 2020. Constructive Imaginary, The. Michael Karlberg. In a 2007 letter on the closing of the BIHE, the Universal House of Justice introduced the concept of "constructive resilience"; on the relationship of this to other concepts in discourses on social change, and its relevance to the exigencies of the age. Articles.
42. 2019-12-01. Social media and non-involvement in politics. Universal House of Justice. Guidance on avoiding political involvement, exercising caution on social media, promoting unity, and focusing on spiritual transformation for societal betterment. UHJ-letters.
43. 2019. طاهره پیشتار آزادی زنان شرق (Tahirih: Forerunner of Women's Liberation in the East). Hussein Ahdieh. A biographical work on the life of Tahirih detailing significant moments including her early years, marriage, the murder of her uncle, the events at Badasht, and final years leading to her martyrdom. Features appendices including excerpts of her writings. Biographies.
44. 2017-2020. List of Articles by Nader Saiedi on BahaiTeachings.org. Nader Saiedi. Links to 40 essays about Baha'i teachings on spiritual unity, justice, freedom, democracy, and global peace, critiquing materialism, nationalism, and advocating societal reform. Essays.
45. 2017. Race, Place, and Clusters: Current Vision and Possible Strategies. June Manning Thomas. Division by place affects the possibilities for racial unity, especially in fragmented U.S. metropolitan areas. The "institute process” as a strategy could overcome challenges that place-based action poses for racial unity. Articles.
46. 2013. Materials Studied at the 114 Global Youth Conferences in 2013. Bahá'í World Centre. Compilation presenting materials studied during the global Bahá’í youth conferences in 2013, organized under the auspices of the Universal House of Justice, exploring youth identity, community-building, service, and civilization advancement. Study.
47. 2013. Next Stage, The. Douglas Martin. Bahá'í scholars find themselves at a stage in the Faith’s development where they must construct a discourse that is free of "haughty intellectualism." The Association for Bahá’í Studies can help promote the Bahá'í cause to institutions of higher learning. Articles.
48. 2012-12. Some Reflections on Bahá'í Approaches to Social Change. Roshan Danesh, Lex Musta. The Bahá’í writings foresee social change happening both through engagement in society at large and through the work of building patterns and structures within Bahá’í community life. There should be less emphasis on limiting political participation. Articles-unpublished.
49. 2011-04-10. Eliminating Racial Prejudice and Activities of the Five Year Plan. Universal House of Justice. Letter indicating continuing applicability of the statement of the Guardian on racial prejudice despite the situation becoming more complex UHJ-letters.
50. 2011. Socio-Political Order, Speaking on. Universal House of Justice. Extent to which Bahá'ís, in this case an academic political scientist, may give their views on politics; comments on political activity, social change, and public policy. UHJ-letters.
51. 2011. Preparing Bahá'í Communities in the East and West to Embrace Gender Equality. Baharieh Rouhani Ma'ani. The way Abdu'l-Bahá dealt with the matter of gender equality, some of his writings revealed in honor of the Bahá’í women in Iran and North America, and the practical ways he educated Bahá'í men to accept women as their equals. Articles.
52. 2008. Compilation on Change and Importance of Transformation. Ehsan Bayat, comp. Compilations-personal.
53. 2003-07. Paradox of Protest in a Culture of Contest, The. Michael Karlberg. In our culture, political and legal institutions are structured as contests and reform is characterized as protest. This leads to injustice and unsustainability. Bahá'í models of elections and decision-making offer a practical alternative. Articles.
54. 2002-12. Creating a Culture of Learning. Sylvia Kaye. Transformation of human character and existence; evolution toward a new world order; change of culture; pedagogy and learning; collective evolution. Articles-unpublished.
55. 2001. Divine Philosophy and the Gift of Understanding. Robert Sarracino. On the need for a basic understanding of the concepts of religion for the improvement of society. Essays.
56. 1999. Universal House of Justice, The: Bahá'u'lláh's Agent of Change. Geoffrey W. Marks (published as Geoff Marks). On the nature of change within a community, its methods and authority; the rate and parameters of socially-acceptable change; how the Universal House of Justice exercises wisdom in leading the Bahá'í community. Articles-unpublished.
57. 1999. Fundamentals of a True and Lasting African Renaissance, The: An Introductory Bahá'í Perspective. Enos Makhele. On Africa's many challenges. The African Renaissance is essentially the transformation of society; moral and spiritual change is at the root of all aspects of its development, be they political, economic, educational, social, cultural, or scientific. Transcripts.
58. 1999. Statecraft, Globalization, and Ethics. Charles O. Lerche. The impact of cosmopolitan morality on international statecraft in an era of globalization; globalization is a process of world economic, political, and social change; globalism is a positive, and potentially corrective, dimension of globalization. Articles.
59. 1998. Advancement of Women: A Bahá'í Perspective. Peter J. Khan, Janet A. Khan. Explores Bahá’í teachings on gender equality, women’s education, family transformation, moral dignity, and how equal partnership between sexes advances peace and society. Books.
60. 1995. Race Unity: Implications for the Metropolis. June Manning Thomas. Universal principles of unity which apply to cities; how racial disunity has been imprinted upon the metropolitan landscape in the United States; spiritual principles necessary to improve the fragmented urban life around the world. Articles.
61. 1995. Whanau (extended family) Structures as an Innovative Intervention into Maori Educational and Schooling Crises. Graham Hingangaroa Smith. The development of an innovative response by the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand to the dual crises of Maori educational underachievement on the one hand and to the loss of Maori language, knowledge and culture on the other. Articles.
62. 1994. Century of Revolution, A: Social Movements in Iran. John Foran, ed. Passing mentions of anti-Bahá'í movements in 1924 and the 1960s. Excerpts.
63. 1993(?)/2015. Communal Harmony: India's Greatest Challenge. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India. A formal statement from the NSA of the Bahá'ís of India on the need to overcome religious, linguistic and caste-based tensions. NSA-letters.
64. 1992. Potential of the Bahá'í Faith to Grow in Scope and Influence, The. Annette Prosterman. A sociological perspective says that, to grow and develop, a religion must have ideological and structural elements that foster its effective growth, maintain its cohesion as a collective unit, and enable it to mobilize its members toward social change. Articles.
65. 1991. Vision of Race Unity: America's Most Challenging Issue. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States. A formal statement from the US NSA on "the most challenging issue confronting America." NSA-letters.
66. 1991. Women. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, Universal House of Justice, Universal House of Justice, Research Department, comp. . Explores the status of women in the world, the development of women, the role of education in that development, the Bahá'í concept of gender equality and the application of that principle to family life. Includes bibliography of related Bahá'í literature. Compilations.
67. 1990-01. Tahirih and Women's Suffrage. Universal House of Justice. Two letters on Táhirih's association with women's suffrage, and the authenticity of the words "You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women". UHJ-letters.
68. 1974-11-19. Letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Italy. Universal House of Justice. Regarding the alleviation of material suffering and the construction of a New World Order. UHJ-letters.
69. 1968. Becoming Your True Self. Daniel C. Jordan. The nature of human potential, and how the Bahá'í Faith can guide the process of spiritual transformation. Essays.

1. 2023-04-30 —
   The film, An Expansive Prospect, commissioned by the Universal House of Justice, was screened at the 13th International Bahá'í Convention.

   The 72 minute film highlighted efforts in four regions of the world where people, communities, and institutions were striving together to channel the transformative power of the Bahá'í teachings toward social change. It was scripted in English with subtitled versions in other languages. A voiceover version of the film in Arabic was also made available. [BWNS1660]

   • It can be found on YouTube in the original English. Other versions include Russian, Spanish, French, Farsi, and Arabic.

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