Category Archives: Calls for Papers

Call for Papers: “Religious Texts of Diversity Vs Exclusion”

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Colleagues

A reminder of the session I chair at the Sociology conference: https://isaconf.confex.com/isaconf/wc2018/webprogrampreliminary/Session9912.html :

Religious Texts of Diversity Vs Exclusion

RC22 Sociology of Religion 

Language: English

In the rising post-secular religio-cultural climate, exegetical eyes have been seeing anew that foundational Holy Texts often associated one-sidedly with social suppression in the ancient worlds had been read superficially, usually without much historical depth. However, in evolved libraries, as all Holy Texts and canons are, dominant religio-cultural ideals are as real as they are partial. Alternate voices are never fully silenced; some remain merely compromised through processes of canonisation and dominant interpretation. However, to see these competing theological streams in ancient texts requires eyes that see anew, with exegetes’ and other interpreters’ views having been steered by influential publications, events and trends or sensitivities within their societies. For this session, papers are invited that:

1. Analyse in foundational religious textual corpora (Holy Texts and key classical interpretative texts, moments and movements) the interplay between diversity and exclusion (with both latter terms which apply to all spheres of the human experience); and / or

2. Analyse key modern, post-modern and post-secular texts, moments and movements that have shaped the historical imagination of interpreters of these  foundational religious textual corpora; and / or

3. Bring aspects of 1 and 2 into interpretatively into play with one another.

Session Organizer:

Christo LOMBAARD, University of South Africa, South Africa, christolombaard@gmail.com

Please refer colleagues who might be interested, to this session.

More information at:

My best wishes

Christo

—

Prof. Christo Lombaard (PhD, DD)
Christelike Spiritualiteit        / Christian Spirituality
Universiteit van Suid-Afrika / University of South Africa

Call for Papers: “Complex Religion: Intersections of Religion and Inequality”

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Call for Papers

Special Issue – Social Inclusion

Volume 6, Issue 2

Title: Complex Religion: Intersections of Religion and Inequality

Editor: Melissa J. Wilde (University of Pennsylvania, USA)

Deadline for Abstracts: 15 September 2017
Submission of Full Papers: 15 to 31 January 2018
Publication of the Issue: May/June 2018

Information: Although scholars of American religion acknowledge religion’s deep interconnectedness with race, class, and ethnicity in the USA, we nonetheless typically study religion as a factor that is independent from other social structures. Likewise, we rarely systematically examine class, race or gender differences between or within American religious groups. This thematic issue will highlight research that moves beyond these weaknesses by publishing papers that intentionally examine aspects of inequality as they relate to religion. Papers that discuss both theoretical and methodological conundrums (and solutions) are welcome.

Instructions for Authors: Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal’s editorial policies and to send their abstracts (about 200-250 words, with a tentative title) by email to the journal’s editorial office (si@cogitatiopress.com) by 15 September 2017.

Open Access: The journal has an article publication fee to cover its costs and guarantee that the article can be accessed free of charge by any reader, anywhere in the world, regardless of affiliation. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and advise them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication fees. Institutions can also join Cogitatio’s Membership Program at a very affordable rate and enable all affiliated authors to publish without incurring any fees. Further information about the journal’s open access charges and institutional members can be found here.

Call for Manuscripts on “Interreligious Dialogue: From Religion to Geopolitics”

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CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION

Volume 10: Interreligious Dialogue: From Religion to Geopolitics

Forthcoming 2019

Edited by:

Giuseppe Giordan (University of Padua, Italy) and

Andrew P. Lynch (University of Sydney, Australia)

The topic of interreligious dialogue is of critical importance at a time of increasing geopolitical tension. The urgency for developing better analytical tools for understanding interreligious dialogue is underscored by widespread concerns about religion and violence, and the security culture that this has given rise to in a number of nation states. Furthermore, globalization, technological developments, mass migration, and recent political upheavals and the narratives of exclusion that have been associated with them, highlights the need for greater levels of communication between religious groups. This volume seeks to investigate interreligious dialogue as a necessary component of global affairs in post-secular times, and in multi-faith societies facing increasing levels of cultural pluralism.

To explore these issues we propose to include articles on the following themes, from the perspective of a range of different religions:

  1. Changing viewpoints and theories in the study of interreligious dialogue
  2. Interreligious dialogue and politics in the context of globalization
  3. Interreligious dialogue and debates about secularism and post-secularism
  4. Interreligious dialogue in the context of social diversity, cultural pluralism, and multi-faith societies
  5. Interreligious dialogue and emerging information technologies
  6. Interreligious dialogue in an age of terrorism
  7. Interreligious dialogue and migration

Please send all proposals (300 words) to andrew.lynch@sydney.edu.au

Deadlines:

Submission of proposals: July 30, 2017

Notification of acceptance: September 30, 2017

Completed manuscripts (7,000 words): June 30, 2018

ISA RC-22 Newsletter #16: Call for Paper Proposals for the 2018 Toronto World Congress

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Dear Colleagues,

I have attached a copy of the latest RC-22 newsletter.  It is short, focused on the Call for Paper Proposals for the 2018 ISA World Congress in Toronto, Canada.

As usual, the deadline for proposals is early: September 30, 2017, at 24:00 GMT.  The ISA uses a computer-based system for accepting papers, so I urge you to submit your proposals early.  Computers always seem to fail at the last minute, and I cannot guarantee to fix technical problems for you.

The newsletter also contains information about the Varga Prize — an award for the best new paper by a young scholar.  That award provides money plus funding to present the paper at the World Congress. 

Please circulate this newsletter widely.

Best wishes,

Jim Spickard
RC-22 President

(If you have trouble viewing the newsletter, there is a copy online at http://www.isa-rc22.org/newsletters/

CFP: Sacred Sites/Sacred Stories

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Call for Papers
ANU Religion Conference 2018
Theme: Sacred Sites/Sacred Stories: Global Perspectives
05-07 April 2018, ANU College of Asia & the Pacific,
The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Abstract Deadline: 15 October 2017
http://www.anu.edu.au/events/sacred-sitessacred-stories-global-perspectives

The study of sacred sites is a prominent feature in a number of disciplines. Sacred sites and stories and pilgrimage are the theme of the conference. Topics of enquiry range from the role of sacred sites in religious traditions, through to how sacred sites form part of the development of modern tourist industries, the role of sacred sites in international relations and the ways in which sacred sites can be the focus for disputes. At a time when many sacred sites and their stories face challenges due to economic development, environmental change and the impact of mass pilgrimage and tourism the conference offers an opportunity for wide-ranging discussions of the past, present and future of sacred sites and stories and their significance in the world today.
The conference will have the following panels:

•    Pilgrimage and Tourism
•    Historical Perspectives
•    Visual Arts and Architecture
•    Indigenous Traditions
•    Competition and Contestation

We welcome proposals for paper presentations that address the theme of one of these panels. Individual papers that are relevant to the main theme but are not aligned with any of the proposed panel streams will also be considered for presentation.

•    Panel Proposals. While proposals for individual papers are welcome, applicants are also encouraged to collaborate with peers to propose panels of 3-4 papers that converge on a particular theme.
In view of the major role that Australia and the Asia Pacific region plays in national and international discussions about sacred sites and sacred stories we particularly welcome panels on Asian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Pacific perspectives on sacred sites. We also welcome papers covering a range of time frames, from pre-history to the contemporary era, and from all traditions and locations.

If you are interested, please send your abstract (150 words), including a note of which stream your proposal addresses, and bio (80 words) to the following email (davidwj_kim@yahoo.co.uk). The conference fee is AU$350, but for masters students, doctoral candidates and early career researchers who do not have full-time positions the fee will be AU$250. The conference cost includes registration fee, conference dinner and refreshments. The two best papers submitted by HDR students will be awarded (AU$500 each). To be considered for this award, the full paper must be submitted at least one month before the conference (by 07 March 2018). There will be a limited number of bursaries available for some accepted masters students, doctoral candidates and early career researchers. Please note that those selected to receive bursaries will be informed of this before the conference but the bursaries will not be dispersed until the papers have been presented at the conference. In addition, selected papers may be considered for publication in a book volume.

Contacts:
Dr David W. Kim (Australian National University)
Email: davidwj_kim@yahoo.co.uk
Dr Peter Friedlander (Australian National University)
Email: peter.friedlander@anu.edu.au
A/Prof McComas Taylor (Australian National University)
Email: mccomas.taylor@anu.edu.au
Dr Barbara Nelson (Australian National University)
Email: barbara.nelson@anu.edu.au

CFP: Sacred Sites/Sacred Stories

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Call for Papers
ANU Religion Conference 2018
Theme: Sacred Sites/Sacred Stories: Global Perspectives
05-07 April 2018, ANU College of Asia & the Pacific,
The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Abstract Deadline: 15 October 2017
http://www.anu.edu.au/events/sacred-sitessacred-stories-global-perspectives

The study of sacred sites is a prominent feature in a number of disciplines. Sacred sites and stories and pilgrimage are the theme of the conference. Topics of enquiry range from the role of sacred sites in religious traditions, through to how sacred sites form part of the development of modern tourist industries, the role of sacred sites in international relations and the ways in which sacred sites can be the focus for disputes. At a time when many sacred sites and their stories face challenges due to economic development, environmental change and the impact of mass pilgrimage and tourism the conference offers an opportunity for wide-ranging discussions of the past, present and future of sacred sites and stories and their significance in the world today.
The conference will have the following panels:

•    Pilgrimage and Tourism
•    Historical Perspectives
•    Visual Arts and Architecture
•    Indigenous Traditions
•    Competition and Contestation

We welcome proposals for paper presentations that address the theme of one of these panels. Individual papers that are relevant to the main theme but are not aligned with any of the proposed panel streams will also be considered for presentation.

•    Panel Proposals. While proposals for individual papers are welcome, applicants are also encouraged to collaborate with peers to propose panels of 3-4 papers that converge on a particular theme.
In view of the major role that Australia and the Asia Pacific region plays in national and international discussions about sacred sites and sacred stories we particularly welcome panels on Asian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Pacific perspectives on sacred sites. We also welcome papers covering a range of time frames, from pre-history to the contemporary era, and from all traditions and locations.

If you are interested, please send your abstract (150 words), including a note of which stream your proposal addresses, and bio (80 words) to the following email (davidwj_kim@yahoo.co.uk). The conference fee is AU$350, but for masters students, doctoral candidates and early career researchers who do not have full-time positions the fee will be AU$250. The conference cost includes registration fee, conference dinner and refreshments. The two best papers submitted by HDR students will be awarded (AU$500 each). To be considered for this award, the full paper must be submitted at least one month before the conference (by 07 March 2018). There will be a limited number of bursaries available for some accepted masters students, doctoral candidates and early career researchers. Please note that those selected to receive bursaries will be informed of this before the conference but the bursaries will not be dispersed until the papers have been presented at the conference. In addition, selected papers may be considered for publication in a book volume.

Contacts:
Dr David W. Kim (Australian National University)
Email: davidwj_kim@yahoo.co.uk
Dr Peter Friedlander (Australian National University)
Email: peter.friedlander@anu.edu.au
A/Prof McComas Taylor (Australian National University)
Email: mccomas.taylor@anu.edu.au
Dr Barbara Nelson (Australian National University)
Email: barbara.nelson@anu.edu.au

CFP: Strong Religion and Mainstream Culture

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Call for Papers
Strong Religion and Mainstream Culture: Youth, Education, and Technology
Umeå University, Sweden
9–10 November 2017

Conference Theme
Historically, the relationship between strong, conservative religion and modern society has been a complex one. Various means of inclusion and exclusion have been employed by mainstream society, and the religious groups themselves have applied both world-fleeing and world-mastering strategies. In contemporary Europe, the liberal multicultural society is being challenged by polarized religious fundamentalism of both Christian and Islamic foundation. This conference wants to highlight the past and present encounters between strong religion and mainstream society in general, but preferably with respect to youth, education and technology. Special interest will be paid to young people and their ways of relating to both strong religion and the ideologies and attributes of modernity.

The organizers invite papers that address the theme in various ways. Papers can focus on either general aspects of the main theme or any of the subthemes, and develop both internal and external perspectives on religious communities, in history as well as contemporary culture. Possible aspects include approaches to and use of technology at individual and group levels; ideas and mechanisms of upbringing, socialization and educa-tion; sites of separation and integration such as schools, including attempts at interreligious education and reli-gious dialogue, etc. Empirical cases are encouraged, but theoretical contributions are also welcome.

Keynotes
Dr Wolfram Weisse, Professor of Religious Education at University of Hamburg, Germany
Dr Pauline Cheong, Professor of Communication at Arizona State University, USA

Abstracts
Proposals for papers to be presented at the conference must be submitted no later than 15 June 2017. The requested information includes name, title and institutional affiliation of presenter(s), title of paper, and an ab-stract of the proposed paper of maximum 300 words. Please upload your abstract here.

Important Dates
15 June 2017 Deadline for submission of abstracts
1 July 2017 Notification of acceptance
30 September 2017 Deadline for registration and payment of conference fee

Organizers
The conference is an activity of the European Bible Belt project, funded by the Dutch research council NWO and directed by Professor Fred van Lieburg, Free University, Amsterdam. It will be co-hosted by the Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, and Humlab, Umeå University.

More information
Contact persons: Prof. Daniel Lindmark +46 (0)90 786 6250 daniel.lindmark@umu.seAssoc. Prof. Stefan Gelfgren +46 (0)90 786 5087 stefan.gelfgren@umu.se
Website: http://www.trippus.net/Strongreligion2017

CFP: Strong Religion and Mainstream Culture

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Call for Papers
Strong Religion and Mainstream Culture: Youth, Education, and Technology
Umeå University, Sweden
9–10 November 2017

Conference Theme
Historically, the relationship between strong, conservative religion and modern society has been a complex one. Various means of inclusion and exclusion have been employed by mainstream society, and the religious groups themselves have applied both world-fleeing and world-mastering strategies. In contemporary Europe, the liberal multicultural society is being challenged by polarized religious fundamentalism of both Christian and Islamic foundation. This conference wants to highlight the past and present encounters between strong religion and mainstream society in general, but preferably with respect to youth, education and technology. Special interest will be paid to young people and their ways of relating to both strong religion and the ideologies and attributes of modernity.

The organizers invite papers that address the theme in various ways. Papers can focus on either general aspects of the main theme or any of the subthemes, and develop both internal and external perspectives on religious communities, in history as well as contemporary culture. Possible aspects include approaches to and use of technology at individual and group levels; ideas and mechanisms of upbringing, socialization and educa-tion; sites of separation and integration such as schools, including attempts at interreligious education and reli-gious dialogue, etc. Empirical cases are encouraged, but theoretical contributions are also welcome.

Keynotes
Dr Wolfram Weisse, Professor of Religious Education at University of Hamburg, Germany
Dr Pauline Cheong, Professor of Communication at Arizona State University, USA

Abstracts
Proposals for papers to be presented at the conference must be submitted no later than 15 June 2017. The requested information includes name, title and institutional affiliation of presenter(s), title of paper, and an ab-stract of the proposed paper of maximum 300 words. Please upload your abstract here.

Important Dates
15 June 2017 Deadline for submission of abstracts
1 July 2017 Notification of acceptance
30 September 2017 Deadline for registration and payment of conference fee

Organizers
The conference is an activity of the European Bible Belt project, funded by the Dutch research council NWO and directed by Professor Fred van Lieburg, Free University, Amsterdam. It will be co-hosted by the Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, and Humlab, Umeå University.

More information
Contact persons: Prof. Daniel Lindmark +46 (0)90 786 6250 daniel.lindmark@umu.seAssoc. Prof. Stefan Gelfgren +46 (0)90 786 5087 stefan.gelfgren@umu.se
Website: http://www.trippus.net/Strongreligion2017

Call for Papers: Religion and the Rise of Populism: Migration, Radicalism and New Nationalisms

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http://explore.tandfonline.com/cfp/pgas/crss-call-for-papers-religion-rise-populism

The editors of the journal Religion, State and Society are pleased to invite contributions to a special issue, slated for publication in early 2018. The special issue will investigate the roles of religion in recent trends towards populist politics, in particular as manifested in public reactions to migration, the rise of new nationalisms, and the increasing prominence of radicalism.

Growing evidence suggests that these developments are taking centre stage throughout the world, set in a wider context of global political and economic uncertainty. It can also be observed that religion plays an important role in each of these three issues, often in ways that interconnect them. For example, the actions of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have exacerbated an already worrisome global migration crisis, while also heightening concerns about violent radicalism.  From France to the Philippines, public anxieties surrounding ISIS and domestic ‘radicalisation’ have become frequent motifs in populist rhetoric that links them with increasing flows of migrants as representative of threats to social security and the economic wellbeing of local populations.

Other examples of contemporary issues in which religion is implicated in populist politics and linked to migration, new nationalisms, and radicalism include: the emphasis on ‘Hindu values’ in the politics of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in India; the Christian or anti-Muslim rhetoric of American presidential candidates; the UK Brexit campaigners’ use of the prospective membership of ‘Muslim’ Turkey in the EU; the deepening significance of ‘traditionalist’ and pro-Orthodox rhetoric in Russia’s domestic and international politics; and the increasing prominence of religion-based identity politics in Poland, Hungary, and Croatia.

This special issue will seek to probe the various roles of religion in these interlinked issues and across comparative cases. There is an urgent need for considered academic analysis to discern how the rise of populism is connected to religion and the issues of migration, radicalism, and new nationalisms, to elucidate the broader empirical and theoretical implications for our understandings of religion, state, and society.

Areas of investigation can include but are by no means limited to:

  • Religious dimensions of populism in national contexts, including comparative perspectives
  • The migration crisis and its implications for religion-based identity politics in European societies and beyond
  • The ‘crisis’ of the European Union following the Brexit referendum, and its broader implications with relevance to religion
  • Religious dimensions of radicalism: discourses, movements, and politics
  • Religiously-based conservative and traditionalist movements in Europe, the United States, India, Russia, or other parts of the world, including comparative studies
  • Fringe and far-right political and vigilante groups and movements, and their politics of religion
  • Religious dimensions of the securitisation of borders and the ‘othering’ of excluded groups
  • Theoretical, legal, or discourse-based work on the role of religious, such as ‘Christian’ or ‘Hindu’, affinities in constructions of national identity and the operation of national institutions

This special issue of Religion, State and Society is planned for publication in the first half of 2018. The editors have been invited by Routledge to also consider republication of the contributions as a book.

Application Process

Please send completed papers of 6,000-8,000 words by 15 August 2017. To submit a paper, please register for an account and follow the submission instructions at the journal’s online submission portal: http://www.edmgr.com/crss

Before submitting your manuscript please read carefully the journal’s submission instructions, available on the RSS main website under the ‘Instructions for Authors’ page (http://www.tandfonline.com/crss). All manuscripts will go through the normal peer review process.

Questions related to the theme and potential ideas for papers can be discussed with the editors:
Dr Daniel Nilsson DeHanas (daniel.dehanas@kcl.ac.uk)
Dr Marat Shterin (marat.shterin@kcl.ac.uk)

Conference CFP–last call: “Religion(s) and Power(s)” Oct 5-6, 2017, Kaunas, Lithuania

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Religion(s) and Power(s)

Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania

October 5-6, 2017

The Lithuanian Society for the Study of Religions in cooperation with Latvian Society for the Study of Religions and Estonian Society for the Study of Religions invites proposals for its upcoming international conference “Religion(s) and Power(s)”. To encourage new directions in the critical research of interrelations of religion(s) and power(s) from a broad range of approaches, we are seeking proposals on a wide range of topics including: 

•    Private and public religions;

•    Religions and politics;

•    Non-religion and power;

•    Religious inequalities and discrimination;

•    Religions, human rights and justice;

•    Powers of/within religions;

•    Religion and nationalism;

•    Mythology, divine kinship and power;

•    Religion and colonialism;

•    Religions and education.

Other topics related to the conference theme are also encouraged. 

Conference paper and session proposals must be sent by June 15, 2017. Please send your 250-300 word abstract and a 200-word personal bio to email: religiousstudieslt@gmail.com

Important conference dates:

June 15, 2017 – submission of conference papers and sessions proposals;

July 1, 2017 – notification of paper/session proposal acceptance;

July 1, 2017 – opening of registration for the conference;

August 15, 2017 – closing of registration for the conference;

September 1, 2017 – announcement of the conference program.

Conference Registration Fees: 

–    Members of national associations of Baltic States associations for the study of religions – 50 EUR;

–    Permanent/full-time faculty and non-affiliated participants – 80 EUR;

–    Graduate students and emeritus faculty – 50 EUR;

–    Late bird conference fee – 100 EUR.

*       *       *

Vytautas Magnus University (hereinafter – VMU) has 10 faculties (Arts, Catholic Theology, Economics and Management, Humanities, Informatics, Law, Natural Sciences, Political Science and Diplomacy, Social Sciences, Music Academy), including 40 departments, 22 study and research centers, 3 laboratories and Psychology Clinic, Kaunas Botanical Garden, and other non-academic divisions. Main buildings of VMU are located in the center of Kaunas, the second biggest city of Lithuania. 

There are two possibilities to reach Kaunas. One way is to go by plane to Kaunas airport. Ryanair and Airbaltic companies operate flights to Kaunas airport that is connected with city by bus line. Another possibility is to fly to Vilnius airport and to go to Kaunas by train from Vilnius train station. The journey takes approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. There are also frequent buses from Vilnius bus station from Vilnius to Kaunas and return. Journey usually takes one hour and a half. 

There is wide variety of accommodation possibilities in Kaunas from four-three star hotels to B&B’s. 

*       *       *

Organising Committee of the conference: Anita Stasulane, Atko Remmel, Milda Alisauskiene, Rasa Pranskeviciute, Egle Aleknaite, David Tjurfell.