7th ECPR General Conference, Bordeaux 4-7 September 2013

ecpr

CALL FOR PAPERS For the Panel:

“God and Caesar in Motion: Changing Boundaries between Religion and Politics in a Pluralizing World”

Deadline: February, 1 2013

Prof. Dr. Michael Minkenberg (minkenberg@europa-uni.de)

Dr. Anja Hennig (ahennig@europa-uni.de)

(Comparative Politics, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt/Oder, Germany)

About the Panel: Much has been said about the re-emergence of religion in the public sphere. Nonetheless, even José Casanova noticed a lack of empirical research that analyzes how and to what extent religious actors, ideas or ideologies interact with the public sphere. Against this background this panel addresses the fundamental question of the transformations of boundaries between religion and the (democratic) state in light of ongoing pluralization in the Western world. Instead of focusing on the usual configuration of church-state relationships the panel suggests to look at more subtle boundaries between religion and politics and to reflect their changing characteristics and functions. Such a perspective includes (1) normative boundaries, which typically stem from – or challenge – classical liberal views denying religion a public role. A prominent example would be the normative principle of state-neutrality; (2) institutional boundaries, which determine e.g., whether or to what extent religious actors are involved in public processes of political decision making or consultation. In this vein, they represent mechanisms of recognition and in- or exclusion; (3) symbolic boundaries, which either divide religion from politics or create a religious-political public space and may be identified in media discourses, political ceremonies or public images. They reflect specific forms of regional or national representation. Against this backdrop, the panel invites papers addressing one or several of the following overarching questions and issues: (1) the suggested theoretical conceptualization of boundaries between religion and politics or between the sacred and the profane. More empirical questions may ask (2) how these assumed boundaries have been changing during the last decades and in the light of cultural pluralization and political transformations? For example, did the re-interpretation of existing normative principles perforate assumed legal boundaries between the religious and the secular spheres? (3) To what extent do new institutional arrangements with religious groups and the state in- or exclude certain religions? Another question raises the issue (4) how these different types of boundaries are related to each other. For example, does the dissolution of one boundary provoke the emergence/creation of another? And finally, shifting the perspective: (5) which internal or external factors influence the change of boundaries between or within religion and politics? The papers may be theoretical contributions reflecting the concept of boundaries as analytical tool itself, as well as multiple country-case comparisons (rather than single country studies) which focus on the mentioned questions in the area of Western democracies.

How to submit your paper proposal via MyECPR?

http://new.ecprnet.eu/Documents/Conferences/General/2014BordeauxPaperProposalInstructions.pdf

· Paper proposers must have a myECPR account in order to submit a paper proposal.

· Paper proposals are welcomed from both ECPR Member and Non Member institutions.

· Whilst proposers may submit more than one paper at this stage, the Academic Convenors will not accept more than one paper proposed by the same person.

1) Log in to your myECPR account, or create an account: http://ecprnet.eu/Login.aspx 2) Follow the links to the Bordeaux General Conference home page and then select ‘Propose a Paper’ from the menu. 3) From the dropdown box, select the Panel to which you wish to propose a paper. 4) Select 3-6 keywords from the list which best describe the field to which your paper relates (this is key to ensuring your paper is allocated to the correct Panel). 5) Upload/insert an abstract of no more than 300 words. 6) Provide the e-mail addresses of any co-authors to the paper. To enable us to find them in the system, these addresses must be the ones they have used to create their myECPR account (if they do not already have an account, please ask them to create one.) 7) Attach the full paper proposal in pdf format. (Please note, this can also be done at a later stage via myECPR under the ‘My Events’ page up until the deadline below.) The deadline for paper proposals is 1 February 2013. For additional information regarding deadlines please read the Guidelines and Deadlines for Section Chairs.