It’s a story that is familiar to cities and communities around the world. Religious institutions, including their buildings, leaders, beliefs, practices and rituals, fundamentally shape communities and their cultures — and Ibáñez wants to document it all.
The veteran reporter and journalism professor covers Chile and the surrounding regions for foreign media outlets. Recent articles for Religion Unplugged included articles about the Catholic Church’s role as a political mediator in Bolivia; minority Sufi muslims’ preparations for Ramadan in Chile; and on an overseas trip, she brought back stories of a concert for peace in Gaza.
“Religion Unplugged covers religions around the globe, giving you a broader view of faith,” she said. “In my reporting, I look for religion in art, culture and politics. Religion is more present in our lives than we sometimes think, and it can change our decisions.”
Before writing her news articles, Ibáñez interviews locals, experts, and other stakeholders to understand the story’s angles and perspectives and the deeper history behind current events. This often means traveling to the story’s location and spending hours conducting background research.
She then carefully writes each story, relying on the facts she has learned, and crafts it so that readers outside the region can readily understand and appreciate the complex interactions among religion, government, and culture.
This in-depth reporting takes time and money. Religion Unplugged is proud to publish articles by such skilled reporters as Ibáñez, but we need your help to continue this work. Please consider donating to our NewsMatch fund.
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