IPSA RC 43 - Religion and Politics

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18Jun 2014

Cfp: Religion, Diversity and Governance

09:31 - By Administrator - Calls for papers

Religion, Diversity and Governance

Annual Conference of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion (AASR)

in partnership with the

Centre for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University

School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University

Religion and Society Research Centre, University of Western Sydney

Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, Australian Catholic University

Deakin University Melbourne City Centre Campus 3 - 5 December 2014

Keynote Speakers

Professor Lori Beaman, University of Ottawa Professor Gary D. Bouma, Monash University Professor Matthew Clarke, Deakin University Dr Cathy Byrne, Southern Cross University

Many countries, such as Australia, are becoming increasingly religiously diverse and, at the same time, non-religious. This has resulted in a re-thinking of the place of religion in late modernity and of what constitutes a secular society. These developments have also led scholars to devise frameworks for the management (Bouma 1995, 1999) or governance (Bader 2007) of religious diversity. This conference will explore the following research areas:

  • Religion and Education
  • Interreligious Relations
  • Religion and Gender
  • Religion and Sexuality
  • Spirituality
  • Indigenous Culture
  • Religion and Authority
  • Religion and Development
  • Religion and the Environment
  • Digital Religion
  • Religion and Philosophy
  • New Atheism

Call for papers

Please submit a 250 word abstract with your name, title, and affiliation to anna.halafoff@deakin.edu.au by June 30, 2014. Please indicate if you are a PhD student, and if so, at which University. We will consider abstracts on the above themes and also the wider field of religion research.

Participants will be notified whether their paper has been accepted or not by July 31, 2014.

Post-Graduate Essay Prizes

The AASR and Equinox both award a post-graduate prize of $500 to the two best abstracts submitted by PhD students to assist them to attend the conference. The winners' full papers will also be considered for publication in the AASR's Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, which is published by Equinox.

18Jun 2014

Cfp: Explaining Nonreligion and Secularity in the US and Beyond

09:27 - By Administrator - Calls for papers

Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network - 3rd International Conference Call for Papers | 19-20 November 2014, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA

EXPLAINING NONRELIGION AND SECULARITY IN THE U.S. AND BEYOND Conveners: Ryan Cragun (ryantcragun@gmail.com), Christel Manning (manningc@sacredheart.edu), and Phil Zuckerman (phil_zuckerman@pitzer.edu)

Keynote speakers: Professor Darren Sherkat (Sociology, Southern Illinois University) Professor Lori Beaman (Classics and Religious Studies, University of Ottowa)

The study of nonreligion and secularity, long neglected by religion researchers, has recently become a growing field of inquiry. The NSRN is an international, interdisciplinary association of scholars from various fields (religious studies, sociology, anthropology, political science, psychology, history, etc.) who are interested in nonreligion, atheism, secularity, secularism, secularization – and related issues. Since the NSRN convened its first international conference in 2009 at the University of Oxford, UK, research and publications dealing with nonreligion and secularity have continued to increase and diversify. The third NSRN conference will reflect upon accumulated and newly emerging empirical work and focus attention on how these diverse phenomena can be explained. To what extent do they fit into existing theoretical frameworks, such as secularization theories, ‘desecularization’ theories and pluralist or ‘postsecular’ models? Do we need to refine these models, or even generate new theories altogether in order to understand the occurrence and nature of contemporary secular populations and nonreligious cultures?

The conference welcomes papers that further expand our understanding of nonreligion and secularity, including topics such as:

Theoretical development in the study of secularity and nonreligion The explosion of the so-called “Nones” in the United States in the last two decades Nonreligion and secularity in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East Cross-cultural comparisons/contrasts of nonreligion and secularity Secularism and politics in the USA and around the world Intersections of non-religion and secularity with race, class, and gender The varieties of nonreligious experience Typological development in the analysis of secular people and secular movements Neurological and emotional aspects of secularity Secularity and sexuality Prospects for the further development of secular studies Ritual and community within secular culture Secular-religious conflict and cooperation Apostasy and religious rejection

Abstracts for panels and presentations should be submitted to Ryan Cragun by 1 June 2014. Abstracts should be 250 words long and accompanied by a short biographical note.

Registration will open in April 2014. Full conference (includes all meals, does not include accommodations) is $155.

18Jun 2014

New Book: Immigrant Faith: Patterns of Immigrant Religion in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe

09:23 - By Administrator - Publications

Immigrant Faith: Patterns of Immigrant Religion in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe

Phillip Connor, Ph.D.

New York University Press – August 2014

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More details and pre-order: [http://bit.ly/TxL4us |http://bit.ly/TxL4us] Overview

Immigrant Faith examines trends and patterns relating to religion in the lives of immigrants. The volume moves beyond specific studies of particular faiths in particular immigrant destinations to present the religious lives of immigrants in the United States, Canada, and Europe on a broad scale.

Religion is not merely one aspect among many in immigrant lives. Immigrant faith affects daily interactions, shapes the future of immigrants in their destination society, and influences society beyond the immigrants themselves. In other words, to understand immigrants, one must understand their faith.

Drawing on census data and other surveys, including data sources from several countries and statistical data from thousands of immigrant interviews, the volume provides a concise overview of immigrant religion. It sheds light on whether religion shapes the choice of destination for migrants, if immigrants are more or less religious after migrating, if religious immigrants have an easier adjustment, or if religious migrants tend to fare better or worse economically than non-religious migrants.

Immigrant Faith covers demographic trends from initial migration to settlement to the transmission of faith to the second generation. It offers the perfect introduction to big picture patterns of immigrant religion for scholars and students, as well as religious leaders and policy makers.

Phillip Connor is a research associate at the Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project.

18Jun 2014

Religion, Nation(alism) and Transnationalism Symposium

09:18 - By Administrator - Events

The University of Western Sydney’s Religion and Society Research Centre invites you to attend the:

Religion, Nation(alism) and Transnationalism Symposium

Speakers:

Saïd Arjomand, State University of New York

Julia Day Howell, University of Western Sydney

Mark Hutchinson, University of Western Sydney

Patrick Michel, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales

Enzo Pace, University of Padua

Bryan Turner, Australian Catholic University and City University of New York

Firdaus Wajdi, State University of Jakarta and University of Western Sydney

Date: Wednesday, 09 July 2014

Time: 09:00 AM – 16:30 PM

Venue: UWS Bankstown Campus, Building 5, Lecture Theatre 15

RSVP: j.fishman@uws.edu.au by Wednesday, 2 July 2014 – for catering purposes (please advise of any special dietary requirements)

Symposium Introduction

With the permeability of borders and the greatly increased speed and volume of international communication and transportation, we have entered a new era of transnationalism. In this post-Westphalian world, religions are taking part in a network society that cuts across borders. If world religions have dominated the global sphere for centuries, today we are faced with a plethora of new religious recompositions. This symposium will explore the impact of globalisation on the relationship between religion and nation, religion and nationalism, and the changes that transnationalism has brought on religious groups (and vice versa).

18Jun 2014

International Sociology Special Issue on 'Multiple Secularities'

09:15 - By Administrator - Publications

Special Issue: Multiple Secularities: Religion and Modernity in the Global Age
INTERNATIONAL SOCIOLOGY November 2013; 28 (6)

http://iss.sagepub.com/content/28/6.toc

Articles

Marian Burchardt, Monika Wohlrab-Sahr, and Ute Wegert 'Multiple secularities': Postcolonial variations and guiding ideas in India and South Africa

Gudrun Krämer Modern but not secular: Religion, identity and the ordre public in the Arab Middle East

David Lehmann Religion as heritage, religion as belief: Shifting frontiers of secularism in Europe, the USA and Brazil

Peter Beyer Questioning the secular/religious divide in a post-Westphalian world

Ann Swidler African affirmations: The religion of modernity and the modernity of religion

18Jun 2014

New Book: One Family Under God

09:11 - By Administrator - Publications

One Family Under God: Immigration Politics and Progressive Religion in America - Grace Yukich - Oxford University Press 2013

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http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199988679.do

- Focuses on progressive religious activists, a group that has often been ignored in favor of focusing on conservative religious activists or secular leftists - Focuses on stories of mixed-status immigrant families in danger of being separated through deportation and the complexities surrounding their cases, which challenge simplistic understandings of immigration status - Introduces a new theoretical concept-the multi-target social movement-and develops hypotheses about how having multiple targets might shape a movement

Behind the walls of a church, Liliana and her baby eat, sleep, and wait. Outside, protestors shout Go back to Mexico! and Tax this political church! They demand that the U.S. government deport Liliana, which would separate her from her husband and children. Is Liliana a criminal or a hero? And why does the church protect her?

Grace Yukich draws on extensive field observation and interviews to reveal how immigration is changing religious activism in the U.S. In the face of nationwide immigration raids and public hostility toward illegal immigration, the New Sanctuary Movement emerged in 2007 as a religious force seeking to humanize the image of undocumented immigrants like Liliana. Building coalitions between religious and ethnic groups that had rarely worked together in the past, activists revived and adapted sanctuary, the tradition of providing shelter for fugitives in houses of worship. Through sanctuary, they called on Americans to support legislation that would keep immigrant families together. But they sought more than political change: they also pursued religious transformation, challenging the religious nationalism in America's faith communities by portraying undocumented immigrants as fellow children of God.

Yukich shows progressive religious activists struggling with the competing goals of newly diverse coalitions, fighting to expand the meaning of family values in a globalizing nation. Through these struggles, the activists both challenged the public dominance of the religious right and created conflicts that could doom their chances of impacting immigration reform.

17Jun 2014

New Book: Religion in the Context of Globalization

15:26 - By Administrator - Publications

Religion in the Context of Globalization Essays on Concept, Form, and Political Implication By Peter Beyer

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Routledge - 2013 - 232 pages

Series: Routledge Studies in Religion and Politics

http://www.psypress.com/books/details/9780415783583/

Peter Beyer has been a central figure in the debate about religion and globalization for many years, this volume is a collection of essays on the relation between religion and globalization with special emphasis on the concept of religion, its modern forms and on the relation of religion to the state.

Featuring a newly written introduction and conclusion which frame the volume and offer the reader guidance on how the arguments fit together, this book brings together ten previously published pieces which focus on the institutional forms and concept of religion in the context of globalizing and modern society. The guiding theme that they all share is the idea that religion and globalization are historically, conceptually, and institutionally related. What has come to constitute religion and what social roles religion plays are not manifestations of a timeless essence, called religion, or even a requirement of human societies. In concept and institutional form, religion is an expression of the historical process of globalization, above all during modern centuries. What religion has become is one of the outcomes of the successive transformations and developments that have brought about contemporary global society.

Including some of the most important theoretical work in the field of religion and globalization, this collection provokes the reader to consider paths for future research in the area, and will be of great interest to students and scholars of religion and politics, globalization and religion and sociology.

Contents

Introduction

Part 1: Observing Religion in the Contemporary Global Context

1. Purity as Hybridization: Religio-Cultural Syncretisms in the Context of Globalization 2. Globalization and Glocalization 3. Conceptions of Religion: On Distinguishing Scientific, Theological, and 'Official' Meanings

Part 2: The Formation of Religion and Religions in Global Society

4. Social Forms of Religion and Religions in Contemporary Global Society 5. What Counts as Religion in Global Society? From Practice to Theory 6. The City and Beyond as Dialogue: Negotiating Religious Authenticity in Global Society 7. Can the Tail Wag the Dog? Diaspora Reconstructions of Religion in a Globalized Society Part 3: Religion and the Political Domain 8. Defining Religion in Cross-National Perspective: Identity and Difference in Official Conceptions 9. Constitutional Privilege and Constituting Pluralism: Religious Freedom in National, Global, and Legal Context 10. Religion out of place? The Globalization of Fundamentalism

Peter Beyer is Professor in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

17Jun 2014

New Book: From Religious Empires to Secular States

15:21 - By Administrator - Publications

From Religious Empires to Secular States State Secularization in Turkey, Iran, and Russia

By Birol Baskan

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Routledge 2014 http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415743518/

In the 1920s and the 1930s, Turkey, Iran and Russia vehemently pursued state-secularizing reforms, but adopted different strategies in doing so. But why do states follow different secularizing strategies? The literature has already shattered the illusion that secularization of the state has been a unilinear, homogeneous and universal process, and has convincingly shown that secularization of the state has unfolded along different paths. Much, however, remains to be uncovered.

This book provides an in-depth comparative historical analysis of state secularization in three major Eurasian countries: Turkey, Iran and Russia. To capture the aforementioned variation in state secularization across three countries that have been hitherto analyzed as separate studies, Birol Baskan adopts three modes of state secularization: accommodationism, separationism and eradicationism. Focusing thematically on the changing relations between the state and religious institutions, Baskan brings together a host of factors, historical, strategic and structural, to account for why Turkey adopted accommodationism, Iran separationism and Russia eradicationism. In doing so, he expertly demonstrates that each secularization strategy was a rational response to the strategic context the reformers found themselves in.

CONTENTS:

1. Introduction: The Secular State and Its Three Types.

2. Mobilizing Sheikhs and Ulama: Religion and the Ottoman Empire.

3. Accommodationist State Secularization in Republican Turkey.

4. Appeasing the Ulama: Religion and the State in Iran.

5. Separationist State Secularization in Pahlavi Iran.

6 Taming the Church: Religion and the Russian Empire.

7. Eradicationist State Secularization in Soviet Union.

8. Conclusion: The Fates of Three Models of Secular States.

Birol Baskan is an assistant professor of government at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University. His research looks at state-regime-religion relations in the Middle East.

17Jun 2014

Cfp: Global Halal

15:18 - By Administrator - Calls for papers

Global Halal

An International Conference on Muslims and the Cultural Politics of the Permissible

February 19-21, 2015

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Global Halal is an international conference organized by the Muslim Studies Program at Michigan State University in partnership with the UK-based Muslim, Trust and Cultural Dialogue Program. The conference topic addresses a range of cultural, economic and political concerns associated with the principle of halal, especially in relation to contemporary food, banking, and lifestyle. Often associated with Muslim dietary practices, the concept of halal applies to that which is permissible to Muslims and serves as one of the key ethical concepts in Islamic theological doctrines. Yet as with any religious principle, concepts like halal and its antithesis haram, are subject to interpretation and variation, especially in the contemporary global era. Muslim practices today are conditioned by a wide-range of technological and contextual influences that raise many questions about what constitutes halal. While the term halal refers to all that is permitted, its specific associations with Islamic restrictions underscore the cultural politics of religious practices at a time of growing awareness among Muslims of the ethics of consumption, the diversity of cultural values, the changing nature of interpersonal relations, and the globalization of financial interactions.

In the majority Muslim regions of the world, halal is embedded in daily life, but it nevertheless raises other issues, for example in regard to the rights of non-Muslim minorities. In contexts where Islam is the minority religion, adaptations of daily practices have been historically necessary to the establishment of Muslim communities. With the growing number of Muslims in Europe and North America, there has been increased demand for halal options, especially with regard to the availability and marketing of halal meats, which has caused some controversy in the United States, Britain, France, among other countries. These controversies illustrate the centrality of the halal concept in contemporary discussions of Muslimness, national belonging and ethics.

This conference will provide a forum for exploring the principle of halal within a global context, emphasizing the complexities of the permissible and the impermissible (haram).

Please send abstracts in MS Word or PDF format to the organizers at the following addresses: hassans3@msu.edu and khalilmo@msu.edu.

Abstracts should be no more than 200 words, and should include a title, correspondence address, and institutional affiliation. Deadline for receipt of abstracts is 1 November 2014.

17Jun 2014

New Book: Religion and Immigration

15:12 - By Administrator - Publications

Religion and Immigration: Migrant Faiths in North America and Western Europe Peter Kivisto ISBN: 978-0-7456-4170-6 206 pages August 2014, Polity

kivisto.jpg

http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0745641709,subjectCd-CU20.html

Description

This concise book provides readers with a comprehensive overview and critical assessment of the key issues and varied strands of research relating to immigration and religion that have been produced during the past two decades.

Religion, once a neglected topic in migration studies, is today seen as a crucially important aspect of the immigrant experience. For some - particularly those focusing on religion in North America - religion has been portrayed as a vital resource for many immigrants engaged in the essential identity work required in adjusting to the receiving society. For others - particularly those who have focused on Muslim immigrants in Western Europe - religion tends to be depicted as a source of conflict rather than one of comfort and consolation.

In a judicious, engaging, and highly readable account, this book sorts through these competing viewpoints, pointing to an approach that will assist upper-level students and scholars alike in putting these competing analyses into perspective. Table of Contents

Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction: Religion on the Move Chapter 2: Immigrant Identity Work and Religion Chapter 3: Reframing Religious Organizations and Practices Chapter 4: Immigrants and Transnational Religious Networks Chapter 5: Church-State Relations and the Public Sphere Chapter 6: Epilogue References

Author Information

Peter Kivisto is Richard Swanson Professor of Social Thought and Chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Welfare at Augustana College. He is also editor of The Sociological Quarterly.

17Jun 2014

Sociology of Islam: Special Issue on the Gulen Movement

15:08 - By Administrator - Publications

Sociology of Islam Journal

A Special Issue on the Gülen Movement

Volume 1, Issue 3-4, 2014

http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/22131418/1/3-4

Perspectives on the Gülen Movement - Authors: Gary Wood ; Tugrul Keskin, pp 127 –130

Approaching a Sociology of Fethullah Gülen - Author: Joshua D. Hendrick, pp 131 –144

“Is Hizmet Liberal?” Mediations and Disciplines of Islam and Liberalism among Gülen Organizations in Istanbul - Author: Jeremy F. Walton, pp 145 –164

The Netherlands and the Gülen movement - Author: Martin van Bruinessen, pp 165 –187

The Sohbet: Talking Islam in Turkey - Author: Smita Tewari Jassal, pp 188 –208

Said Nursi’s Notion of ‘Sacred Science’: Its Function and Application in Hizmet High School Education - Authors: Caroline Tee ; David Shankland, pp 209 –232

Translocal Ethics: Hizmet Teachers and the Formation of Gülen-inspired Schools in Urban Tanzania - Author: Kristina Dohrn, pp 233 –256

What is the Hizmet Movement? Contending Approaches to the Analysis of Religious Activists In World Politics - Author: Sabine Dreher, pp 257 –275

17Jun 2014

New Book: The Awakening of Muslim Democracy

15:01 - By Administrator - Publications

The Awakening of Muslim Democracy Religion, Modernity, and the State

Jocelyne Cesari Cambridge University Press, April 2014

cesari.jpg

http://www.cambridge.org/hn/academic/subjects/politics-international-relations/middle-east-government-politics-and-policy/awakening-muslim-democracy-religion-modernity-and-state

Why and how did Islam become such a political force in so many Muslim-majority countries? In this book, Jocelyne Cesari investigates the relationship between modernization, politics, and Islam in Muslim-majority countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Tunisia, and Turkey – countries that were founded by secular rulers and have since undergone secularized politics. Cesari argues that nation-building processes in these states have not created liberal democracies in the Western mold, but have instead spurred the politicization of Islam by turning it into a modern national ideology. Looking closely at examples of Islamic dominance in political modernization – for example, nationalization of Islamic institutions and personnel under state ministries; reliance on Islamic references in political discourse, religiously motivated social unrest, or violence; and internationalization of Islam-aligned political movements or conflicts – this study provides a unique overview of the historical and political developments from the end of World War II to the Arab Spring that have made Islam the dominant force in the construction of the modern states, and discusses Islam's impact on emerging democracies in the contemporary Middle East.

Table of Contents

Part I. The Making of Islam as a Modern Religion: 1. Modernization and politicization of religion 2. Nation-state building and the inclusion of Muslim polities within the Westphalian order 3. Islam in the constitution 4. Nationalization of Islamic institutions and clerics 5. Islam in the legal system 6. Teaching Islam in public schools Part II. Islamism as the Central Political Force Pre- and Post-Arab Spring: 7. Political opposition through Islamic institutions 8. Ideological strength of Islamist opposition 9. From martyrs to rulers Part III. The Disjunction of Democracy and Secularism – Lessons Learned from the Arab Spring: 10. The rise of unsecular democracies: the conundrum of religious freedom in Muslim democracies 11. The way forward: the role of Islam in future democratizations Conclusion. The tragedy of modernity.

Jocelyne Cesari, CNRS-Paris; Harvard University

Jocelyne Cesari is visiting professor of government and senior research fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University.

17Jun 2014

New Book: Religion, Identity and Human Security

14:54 - By Administrator - Publications

Giorgio Shani (2014) Religion, Identity and Human Security Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-50906-0

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Religion, Identity and Human Security seeks to demonstrate that a major source of human insecurity comes from the failure of states around the world to recognize the increasing cultural diversity of their populations which has resulted from globalization. Shani begins by setting out the theoretical foundations, dealing with the transformative effects of globalization on identity, violence and security. The second part of the volume then draws on different cases of sites of human insecurity around the globe to develop these ideas, examining themes such as:

  • securitization of religious symbols
  • retreat from multiculturalism
  • rise of exclusivist ethno-religious identities post- 9/11
  • state religion, colonization and the ‘racialization’ of migration

Highlighting that religion can be a source of both human security and insecurity in a globalizing world, Shani offers a ‘critical’ human security paradigm that seeks to de-secularize the individual by recognizing the culturally contested and embedded nature of human identities. The work argues that religion serves an important role in re-embedding individuals deracinated from their communities by neo-liberal globalization and will be of interest to students of International Relations, Security Studies and Religion and Politics.

15May 2014

Cfp: SISP Conference - Panels on Religion and Politics

12:47 - By Administrator - Calls for papers

XVIII SISP ANNUAL CONFERENCE

UNIVERSITY OF PERUGIA – Department of Political Science - UNIVERSITY FOR FOREIGNERS OF PERUGIA - Department of Human and Social Studies

11 – 13 September 2014

Deadline for paper proposals: 15 May 2014

http://www.sisp.it/conference

Panels on Religion and Politics:

1) Religion and Political Parties (Luca Ozzano and Massimiliano Livi)

2) Religion and International Relations (Valter Coralluzzo)

3) Religion and Local Politics (Xabier Itzcaina and Alberta Giorgi)

4) Religion, Secularism and Politics in 21st Century Turkey (Luca Ozzano)

For more information on the section, see the website:

http://www.religione-politica.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=228:conferenza-sisp-sezione-politica-e-religione&catid=4:conferences&Itemid=4

14Apr 2014

'Politics and Religion Journal' special issue on 'Terrorism from the View of Muslims'

17:08 - By Administrator - Publications

Politics and Religion Journal New Issue Volume VIII (No. 1) - Spring 2014

Table of Contents

TERRORISM FROM THE VIEW OF MUSLIMS

Labeed Ahmed Bsoul: Classical and Contemporary Muslim Juridical Views of Terrorism

Yousef M. Aljamal: Hamas: Terrorism Organization or Liberation Movement?

Abd al - Fattah M. El - Awaisi: A Muslim Model for Peaceful Co - Existence and Mutual Respect

Jilani Ben Touhami Mefttah, Mohammed Hussain Ahmad: Erroneous Similarities Between the Concept of Jihad and the Concept of Terrorism: A Qur'anic Perceptive

Bouzerzour Zoubir: Jihad as a Source of Terrorism. Reality or Propaganda

ANALYSES

Daud Abdul, Fattah Batchelorte: Post 'Arab - Spring': Beneficial Lessons in Governance from Recent Events in in Egypt and Tunisia

Khedija Arfaoui, Jane Tchaicha: Governance, Women, and the New Tunisia

For direct access to the articles: http://www.politicsandreligionjournal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=3&lang=en

08Apr 2014

Cfp: Addressing the Asylum Crisis

11:50 - By Administrator - Calls for papers

CALL FOR PAPERS: Addressing the Asylum Crisis: Religious Contributions to Rethinking Protection in Global Politics

A British Council-sponsored workshop (Bridging Voices program)

University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies, Brussels, 26th and 27th of June 2014

Deadline for abstract submission (250 words max): April 24, 2014

Convenors: Luca Mavelli (Kent) and Erin Wilson (Groningen)

We are organizing a British Council-sponsored workshop (Bridging Voices program) on ‘Addressing the Asylum Crisis: Religious Contributions to Rethinking Protection in Global Politics’. The workshop which will take place at the University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies, Brussels on the 26th and 27th of June 2014.

This event will be the second of two transatlantic academic and policy dialogues (the first workshop will take place at Georgetown University, Washington DC, in May 2014) which aim to explore the current and potential future contribution of religious groups and traditions to addressing the asylum crisis and the development of policy strategies which may complement current modes of protection and asylum. In particular, the workshop aims to explore:

a. The role of religious traditions in promoting forms of solidarity that transcend state-centric approaches centred on border protection, legal rights and security. Are religious argumentations in the public sphere contributing to redefine the debate on migration? Is it possible to identify forms of convergence between different religions in their approach to the global migration crisis? Can religious approaches to migration promote inclusion, but also different forms of exclusion?

b. The role that religious organisations and institutions play in the global migration crisis. What are they approaches and how do they differ from state-centric approaches? To what extent do religious organisations fill gap left by states in the provision of asylum and protection? What are the existing forms of practice and cooperation between religious and secular organisations?

c. The crisis of secular modes of protection, based on logics of securitization, but also of profit, as witnessed by the proliferation of immigration detention centres run by private security firms. Is it the case, as Loïc Wacquant suggest, that multinational corporations are increasingly competing against ‘benevolent associations delivering services to the poor’? Can postsecular approaches to asylum act as a source of resistance against the pathologies of neoliberal modernisation?

The workshop will involve a selected group of scholars, policy makers, practitioners, and refugees with expertise and experience in religion, asylum, foreign policy, development and humanitarianism.

Among the confirmed speakers are: · John Milbank, Christian theologian and the Professor of Religion, Politics and Ethics at the University of Nottingham; · Alexander Betts, Director, Global Migration Governance project, University of Oxford · Katharina von Schnurbein, Adviser for the Dialogue with Churches, Religions and Philosophical and Non-Confessional organisations, European Commission; · Nava Hinrichs, Director, The Hague Process for Refugees and Migration · Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, Senior Research Officer at the University of Oxford and Research Fellow in Refugee Studies at Lady Margaret Hall. · Adrian Pabst, Senior Lecturer at the University of Kent · Sadia Kidwai, Policy and Research Analyst at Islamic Relief

We particularly welcome submissions from practitioners working with secular and faith-based NGOs in this sector, reflecting on the place of faith and spirituality.

PUBBLICATION OUTCOME: We are planning to publish the papers presented at the workshop in one special issue of an internationally recognised peer-reviewed journal or edited volume. In addition to academic publication outputs, we will produce a report and list of recommendations to be distributed to participants and interested stakeholders, as well as disseminating the findings of the two dialogues in a variety of media outlets including newspapers and blog posts.

Limited funding is available as a partial contribution to travel and accommodation expenses.

The deadline for abstract submission (250 words max) is April 24, 2014. Please send your abstract together with a short biographical note to Luca Mavelli (L.Mavelli@kent.ac.uk) and Erin Wilson (e.k.wilson@rug.nl).

08Apr 2014

Vacancy: Post-Docs at ELIAMEP

11:48 - By Administrator - Jobs

The Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) is seeking four postdoctoral researchers to work with Dr. Effie Fokas and a 16-member broader research team on the ERC (European Research Council) funded research project entitled 'Directions in Religious Pluralism in Europe: Examining Grassroots Mobilisations in Europe in the Shadow of European Court of Human Rights Religious Freedom Jurisprudence' (GRASSROOTSMOBILISE). Each postdoctoral researcher will undertake one country-based case study (on the cases of Greece, Italy, Romania and Turkey). The 5-year-long project began on 1 January 2014, and the postdoctoral researchers are required for two years, from early January 2015 to end 2016.

LOCATION

Greece, Italy, Romania and Turkey, respectively, with quarterly to bi-annual research meetings in Athens

JOB DESCRIPTION

The role of postdoctoral researcher will entail, amongst other things: preparation of a background report on religion-state relations in the national context, and on religious freedom issues in the courts at the national level; preparation of a database on media coverage of mobilisations related to religion in the national context; conducting of qualitative interview-based fieldwork research in selected research locale(s) in the country; assisting the drafting of proposals for related parallel projects; drafting of project reports based on the fieldwork; and authoring (and co-authoring, where applicable) of articles and books based on the research.

Successful candidates will have a demonstrated capacity for teamwork and the ability to work independently and to take initiative. They will be encouraged to be active members of the research team in proposing and taking the lead in new areas for research.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

1. PhD in political science, law, religious studies, social anthropology or sociology (awarded after January 2008 and before January 2015).

2. Strong organisational, research and writing skills; previous interdisciplinary research experience in the areas of religion, law and human rights will be beneficial

3. Previous experience in applying for grants is of advantage

4. Excellent written and oral communications skills in English and in the language of the country study undertaken

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 2 May 2014

Applications should include a cover letter in English including a detailed statement of research interests, a CV, and the names and contact details of two potential referees. Please also send an electronic copy of PhD thesis or a relevant writing sample (published or unpublished), in English; these will be treated confidentially. Send application via email, with GRASSROOTSMOBILISE Postdoctoral Researcher and the relevant country in subject line, to: grassrootsmobilise@eliamep.gr

Oral interviews will be conducted in the shortlisting process in Athens and via telephone or skype as needed.

08Apr 2014

Vacancies: Coventry University

11:44 - By Administrator - Jobs

We are looking to recruit four full-time permanent contract postdoctoral research associates to work on the 'Clash Narratives in Context: Uncovering the Social and Cultural Drivers of Contemporary Science vs. Religion Debates' project within the newly created University Research Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations. We welcome applications from experienced, enthusiastic and creative humanities and social science early career researchers.

This large scale multidisciplinary project will build an empirical and theoretical understanding of what social and cultural factors have driven, and are currently driving, the narrative in the public domain that there is a necessary clash between religious belief and belonging and acceptance of evolutionary science. It will employ four intersecting approaches: qualitative social science field research; oral history, historical and media discourse analysis; social psychology experimental research; and a large scale quantitative survey of public perceptions, attitudes and identity formation in the UK and Canada.

Post 1: Qualitative Social Sciences Research Associate

Post 2: History, Philosophy or Social Studies of Science Research Associate

Post 3: Social/Experimental or Psychology Postdoctoral Research Associate

Post 4: Quantitative social studies Postdoctoral Research Associate

Closing date: 28th April 2014

Interviews: 6th-9th May 2014

We are looking to recruit an experienced three-year research assistant to assist with the overall delivery, communication and management of the project.

Post 5: Project Research Assistant

Closing date: 28th April 2014

Interviews: 6th-9th May 2014

We are also looking to recruit two PhD studentships exploring contemporary debates surrounding ‘science and religion’ by undertaking relevant research in:

PhD 1: Social Sciences/Humanities;

PhD 2: Social/Experimental Psychology.

Closing date: 25 April 2014.

Interviews in May 2014.

In addition the university will offer two competitive two-year postdoctoral follow on research positions dependent on the successful submission of PhD thesis within three years/by September 2017 to enable successful PhD students to be retained and develop further as early career professionals in this field of research.

Coventry University will lead this 3-year research project funded by the Templeton Religion Trust in partnership with York University (Canada) and National Life Stories at the British Library and British Science Association. The research team is led by Principal Investigators Dr Fern Elsdon-Baker (Coventry) and Prof. Bernard Lightman (York, Canada), and Co-Investigators Dr Carola Leicht (Coventry) and Dr Rebecca Catto (Coventry). The project will commence 1st October 2014.

Applicants should apply online, making explicit reference to how they meet the person specification provided. Specific questions can be directed to Dr Fern Elsdon-Baker by email only (Fern.Elsdon-Baker@coventry.ac.uk)

08Apr 2014

Vacancy: Post-doctoral Position - Religion and Politics in the EU

11:40 - By Administrator - Jobs

POST-DOCTORAL POSITION, RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION, TWO YEARS (7-2014-6/2016)

This is a call for applications for one full-time post-doctoral position in European studies and politology of religion, based at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. The researcher will work in the framework of a project funded by the Belgian scientific agency (FNRS), under the supervision of the principal investigator François Foret. Prospective candidates are hereby invited to submit their application as described below. The deadline for submitting applications is 15/5/2014, for a start on the 1/7/2014.

Presentation of the project "Importing God, exporting secularism? How the European Union deals with religion"

The European Union is commonly presented as an exceptionally "godless" part of a world where religion still matters very much. However, under external pressures (from diplomatic crises to migrations), the EU would have to take religion back in by entering a post-secular era. The project aims at discussing these assumptions. The purpose is to see whether the resurgence of religion on the European agenda is internally- or externally-driven, what are its incentives and outcomes. Three working packages investigate the notion of European secularism; and how this European secularism is challenged from outside and within two EU policy sectors, foreign affairs and immigration.

Workloads linked to the post-doctoral mandate will include various contributions to the project, among others: state of the art of the debate about European secularism and « multiple modernities »; organizational analysis of political and policy structures of the EU dealing with migration and foreign affairs; interviews with civil servants, political representatives and members of civil society; management of online surveys; supervision of parliamentary debates and qualitative case studies.

The post-doc will be considered as a full member of the team and will co-sign some publications in peer-reviewed supports. He/she will have to fulfil the requirements but will also have opportunities for self-development in order to prepare subsequent steps in a scientific career. Experience in teaching will be considered. Management and communication tasks are also included.

Work environment and conditions The research will be developed at the Centre d'étude de la vie politique (CEVIPOL), the main political science research unit of the ULB, and at the Institut d'études européennes (IEE), one of the oldest Jean Monnet Centres of Excellence in Europe. It will rely on a supportive interdisciplinary environment made of political scientists, internationalists, lawyers and historians working on European integration and interactions between religion and politics. The post-doc will evolve in a dynamic international network of collaboration with other universities (Cambridge, Georgetown, Geneva…). Travels and short research stays may be included in the activities. The hired person will have an office and relevant resources at the IEE-ULB. Living in Brussels for the two years period is required. The working contract will be managed by the university according to Belgian standards, in the conditions defined by the FNRS.

Following these conditions, "postdoctoral researchers must hold, since at the most 7 years on the date of the hiring, a doctoral academic degree obtained after the defense of a thesis". The successful candidate must be in "international mobility", meaning that he/she should not have lived or worked in Belgium more than 24 months in the last three years. According to the experience of the candidate, the net salary will be around 2200 euros per month plus social security.

Your Profile: - Ph.D. in political science or a directly related field (international relations, sociology…) with a focus on religion and politics - Proved expertise in EU politics at doctoral level - Strong record in qualitative research and fieldwork (interviews, observation, documentary analysis…). Quantitative skills are an extra asset. - Experience with working in an international environment - Very good command of English and preferably French - Ability to work in a team, to meet deadlines and to combine autonomy with respect of guidelines

How to apply The candidate will be selected on the basis of the quality of his/her CV, research achievements, motivation and congruence with the project. The following application documents are to be consolidated into a single PDF file sent per email to: Michela Arcarese (marcarese@ulb.ac.be) - a one-page motivation letter explaining the candidate's interest in collaborating to the project - a curriculum vitae listing all academic qualifications, relevant research experience and previous publications - name, mail and phone number of three referees to be contacted if necessary - a copy of the PhD and master diploma The position is for two years, from July 2014 to end of June 2016.

A phone or face-to-face interview may be organized if necessary Applications are welcome till 15/5/2014. Short-listed candidates will be informed in the second half of May and the final decision will be taken in early June. For further inquiries, please contact Prof. François Foret (fforet@ulb.ac.be).

08Apr 2014

Cfp: Between East and West - Youth, Religion and Politics

11:28 - By Administrator - Publications

Latvian Society for the Study of Religion 2nd International Scientific Conference

BETWEEN EAST AND WEST: Youth, Religion and Politics

16-17 October, 2014 Riga, Latvia

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Latvian Society for the Study of Religions in cooperation with the University of Latvia and Daugavpils University announces the international scientific conference "Between East and West: Youth, Religion and Politics". We welcome both junior and senior scholars from a wide range of academic disciplines and fields which highlight interconnection between youth, religion and politics. Papers could include different epistemologies, varying theoretical backgrounds, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and a wide range of empirical data.

Suggestions for contributions include but are not limited to:

- Theoretical and methodological issues relating to intersections between religious studies and youth studies - Role of religion in shaping political understandings of youth - Religiously inspired political activity of young people - Sacralisation of the youth cultures - Youth and religiosity - Youth in searching for new models of religion - Dynamics of religious radicalization/universalization of young people - "Youth religion" as a distinct religious consciousness - Political discourses of "youth religion"

Presentation should last 20 minutes with 10 minutes for discussion. Papers are invited in English.

Important dates: Submission of proposals -June 1, 2014 Notification of acceptance -June 15, 2014 Publication of the program - September 15, 2014

If you have questions concerning the academic program or the general organization of the conference, please contact the Latvian Society for the Study of Religions by mail: janis.priede.hzf@lu.lv

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