Black Church Activism and Contested Multiculturalism in Europe, North America, and Africa

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Black Church Activism and Contested Multiculturalism in Europe, North America, and Africa

Birkbeck, University of London, May 29-30, 2012
This conference, which is part of an annual Transatlantic Roundtable on Religion and Race, will bring together academics, church leaders, students, and community activists to explore the role that churches play in the construction of identities in societies where issues of race and ethnicity are played out in the public sphere. Approximately fifty panelists from the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Nigeria, South Africa, Canada, and the U.S. are scheduled to present papers on various topics related to the conference theme.

Keynote Speakers
Anthony G. Reddie
Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham
United Kingdom

Carol B. Duncan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Canada

Allan Boesak
University of Free State South Africa

Fifty Panelists, Including…

Iva Carruthers
Proctor Conference USA

Matthews A. Ojo
Obafemi Awolowo U.
Nigeria

Leah G. Fitchue
Payne Theo. Sem.
USA

Annalisa Butticci
University of Padova
Italy

Dennis C. Dickerson
Vanderbilt University
USA

Marla Frederick
Harvard University
USA

Venue: Room B36 main campus Malet Street, Bloomsbury London WC1E 7HX

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/maps

Registration:  The general registration price of 70 GBP (110 USD) (and the student price of 35 GBP/55 USD) includes the conference program pack, as well as lunch and morning and afternoon refreshments both days. Registration can be completed at the following website:
https://www2.bbk.ac.uk/bih/blackchurches.html.

Conference hotels include the Tavistock Hotel–http://www.imperialhotels.co.uk/ and YHA, Travel lodge Euston (and other
options near the college, see here: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/bih/lcts/accommodation

Contacts:

William Ackah, w.ackah@bbk.ac.uk; R. Drew Smith, rsmith@morehouse.edu; Rothney Tshaka, tshakrs@unisa.ac.za

Dr William Ackah
Programme Director Cert HE/BSc Community Development and Public Policy
Department of Social Policy and Education
Birkbeck, University of London
26 Russell Square
London WC1B 5DQ
tel 02030738354
mobile  07780707305
email w.ackah@bbk.ac.uk

International Conference: Black Church Activism and Contested Multiculturalism, in Europe, North America and South Africa 29th to 30th May 2012 at Birkbeck College University of London to register follow link below

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/bih/events/bbk-local?uid=ed83081d7eb2387fecb9afc5ed943e71

New Book: The Sacred in the City

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The Sacred in the City
edited by Liliana Gómez<http://www.continuumbooks.com/authors/details.aspx?AuthorId=153382>
edited by Walter Van Herck<http://www.continuumbooks.com/authors/details.aspx?AuthorId=152761>
London/New York: Continuum, February 2012 288 Pages £ 65.00
http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=159765&SearchType=Basic

The book reflects the way in which the city interacts with the sacred in all its many guises, with religion and the human search for meaning in life. As the process of urbanization of society is accelerating thus giving an increasing importance to cities and the ‘metropolis’, it is relevant to investigate the social or cultural cohesion that these urban agglomerations manifest. Religion is keenly observed as witnessing a growth, crucially impacting cultural and political dynamics, as well as determining the emergence of new sacred symbols and their inscription in urban spaces worldwide. The sacred has become an important category of a new interpretation of social and cultural transformation processes. From a unique broader perspective, the volume focuses on the relationship between the city and the sacred. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, combining the expertise of philosophers, historians, architects, social geographers, sociologists and anthropologists, it draws a nuanced picture of the different layers of religion, of the sacred and its diverse forms within the city, with examples from Europe, South America and the Caribbean, and Africa.

Table of Contents
Framing the Sacred in the City. An Introduction, Liliana Gómez & Walter van Herck \ Part I: The Sacred and the City: Theoretical Approaches \ 1.Sacred Horror Vacui. A Philosophical Reflection, Walter Van Herck\ 2.The Urbanization of Society. Towards a Cultural Analysis of the Sacred in the Modern Metropolis, Liliana Gómez\ 3.The Lingering Smell of Incense. Exploring Post-secular Public Space, Pieter Dronkers\ Part II: Religion, Built Environments and Urban Societies \ 4.Religion in the Built Environment: Aesth/Ethics, Ritual and Memory in Lived Urban Space, Sigurd Bergmann\ 5.Kinhin in a Mega-City – Implicit meanings of the ‘Walking-in-the-Park’-Movement in São Paulo, Frank Usarski \ 6. Life Stance and Religious Identity in an Urbanised World. The Meaning of Life as a Modern Predicament, Rik Pinxten & Lisa Dikomitis \ Part III: Sacred Symbols, Sacred Spaces \ 7.Sacred Symbols of the City: Babel, Barbara and Their Towers, Anne-Marie Korte \ 8.Communicating the Elemental Cosmos: The Hereford Mappa Mundi, Sacred Space and the City, Renée Köhler-Ryan \ 9.Relocating and Negotiating the Sacred: The Reception of a Chapel in a Shopping Mall, Anne Birgitta Pessi & Peter Nynäs \ Part IV: Politics of the Sacred in Contemporary Urban Spaces\ 10.Kinshasa and its (Un)Certainties: The Polis and the Sacred, Filip De Boeck \ 11. The Politics of a Sacred Place: Revisiting an Israeli Development Town, Haim Jacobi \ 12.The Sacred in the City: Havana. Alejo Carpentier or ‘Fieldwork’ in the Urban, Liliana Gómez \13. Remaking Sacred Spaces after Socialism in Ukraine, Catherine Wanner \ Index

Visualizing Global Migration Data

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The Max-Planck-Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity (MPI-MMG) has launched an innovative set of online, interactive tools that allow users to examine country by country, to graphically visualize and to compare the latest and most comprehensive global migration data existing from 1960 to 2000 (with 2010 updates forthcoming). With stunning new graphics, the data visualizers are for: global migration flow data from the United Nations Population Division; global migrant stock data compiled together with the World Bank; and, also based on the latter dataset, migrants by destination – that is, the number of people from any particular country found, at any particular time, in all other countries across the world. Where the national data allows, moreover, within each visualizer online users can choose to examine migration data by citizenship or place of birth as well as by gender.

To see and use these new graphic tools, please go to the MPI-MMG homepage (www.mmg.mpg.de) and click on the heading ‘data visualization’. Each global migration data visualizer has a set of instructions and an online instruction video. A ‘feedback’ tab is also supplied for comments, questions and user examples. An FAQ section will be continuously updated and the visualization tools will be upgraded accordingly.

Bristol University Reader/Professor of Migration and Citizenship

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JOB VACANCY
Reader/Professor of Migration and Citizenship (vacancy ref. 17055)

The School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS) intends to appoint an internationally outstanding academic to the post of Reader/Professor in Migration and Citizenship to start from October 2012.

You will have an extensive and internationally-recognised track-record of publications and grant-funded research, an outstanding teaching record, and demonstrable leadership and management skills. You will be expected to work closely with Professor Tariq Modood in providing leadership within the School’s successful Centre for Ethnicity and Citizenship, and to provide outstanding academic leadership within the School more generally.

Interviews are likely to be held in May 2012.

Grade : Level d – Level e in Pathway 1

Salary : to be determined on appointment

Contact: Professor T Osborne
E-mail: Thomas.Osborne@bristol.ac.uk
Tel: 0117 331 0574

Alternative Contact: Professor T Modood
E-mail: T.Modood@bristol.ac.uk

Closing Date : 20 April 2012
Interview Date :  not set

Timescale of Appointment(s) –
Contract : Permanent

Further details and an application form can be found at
https://www.bris.ac.uk/boris/jobs/feeds/ads?ID=109511

Alternatively you can telephone (0117) 954 6947, minicom (0117) 928 8894 or

E-Mail Recruitment@bris.ac.uk (stating postal address ONLY), quoting
reference number 17055.

The closing date for applications is 9.00am, 20 April 2012

  An Equal Opportunities Employer.

Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship
http://www.bris.ac.uk/ethnicity/

The third international scientific and practical conference – Russia

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Russian Association of Buddhists of Diamond Way Karma Kagyu Tradition
The institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of Far East Department OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Centre for Philosophical Comparative Studies and Social-Humanitarian Research at the Philosophy Department of Saint-Petersburg State University

LETTER OF INFORMATION
Dear colleagues! We hereby invite you to participate in the The third international scientific and practical conference VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM IN RUSSIA: AN HISTORICAL DISCOURSE AND ADJACENT CULTURES
Timeframe: September, 21-24, 2012 Venue: Vladivostok, The institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of Far East Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushkinskaya Street, 89

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE CONFERENCE: Expansion of interdisciplinary dialogue Research of Vajrayana Buddhism and its interactions with other Buddhist traditions Association and support of researchers and experts of Vajrayana

SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION: Buddhism in the history of Russia and adjacent countries Buddhism in the Far East Ancient Buddhist traditions on the territory of Primorsky Kray (the Bohai state and the Jin empire) Buddhism and modern sociocultural practices Forms of reception of Buddhism in the West, Russia and adjacent cultures Buddhism in the light of modern natural-science knowledge Buddhism in Russian philosophy, literature and art Mutual interaction of various Buddhist traditions in a context of their history Vajrayana methods and development of person’s intellectual and creative abilities

CONFERENCE WORKING LANGUAGES: Russian and English The conference program provides plenary and section sessions.

REGISTRATION is open on the site: www.vajra-conference.buddhism.ru
For participation in the conference please send the following files until June, 1, 2012 to the organizing committee,
veradronova@gmail.com

1. Your PRESENTATION TEST (ready for publication) in an electronic version, format Word for Windows; the font should be Times New Roman, font size 14, line spacing 1,5, the margins 2,5 sm. The volume of your article is expected to be maximum 15000 symbols. Please specify your full name and the city in parentheses before the title in the right top corner. For example: J. Smith (Rio de Janeiro). The title should be placed in the center of the next line. References to consulted and cited literature should be placed in the text, in square brackets, and contain the surname of the author of the quoted work, the publication year and the page number, all comma-separated. For example: [Smith, 2005, 214]. The List of cited publications kindly place after the end of the text alphabetically. Headers, pagination and footnotes containing references, are not permitted. Semantic clarification remarks are given in parentheses in the text. For example: Truth State (Sanskrit: Dharmakaya).
2. The ABSTRACTS in size of maximum 500 symbols in Russian and English languages.
3. A CV of the author: first name, middle initial, last name (full), scientific degree, academic status, work position, company, postal address, e-mail, contact phone. [Alternatively, you can fill the registration form on the conference site]
4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. Please specify if you need: – an accommodation for the period of the conference; – a full daily lunch (in addition to free coffee-breaks). It costs 200-300 rubles; – an official invitation from the Organizing committee; – special devices for the demonstration purposes.

INFORMATION FOR THE PARTICIPANTS The organizational payment for participants of conference is 500 rubles. Traveling and living expenses are to be covered by the delegating organization. After the conference the collective monograph of presentations and articles will be published. The right to select materials for publication is reserved for the Organizing committee.
THE ADDRESS OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: 190068, St.-Petersburg, Nikolsky Pereulok, 7-26
THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: CO-CHAIRMEN OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: Nadezhda Artemyeva – PhD in history, director of Department of Medieval Archeology in The institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of Far East Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Vladivostok). Elena Leontyeva – PhD in history, chief editor of the “Orientalia” Publishing house (Moscow)
MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: A.M. Alexeev-Apraksin. Grand PhD in cultural studies (St. Petersburg) V.P. Androsov, Grand PhD in history, Professor (Moscow) V.N. Badmayev, Grand PhD in philosophy, Professor (Elista) S.G. Batyreva, Grand PhD in arts (Elista) K.Sh. Khafizova, member of the Kazakh National Academy of Natural Sciences, Grand PhD in history, Professor (Almaty, Kazakhstan) A.S. Kolesnikov, Grand PhD in philosophy, Professor (St. Petersburg) V.L. Larin, Grand PhD in history, Professor (Vladivostok) A.P Zabiyako., Grand PhD in philosophy, Professor (Blagoveshchensk) N.L. Zhukovskaya, Grand PhD in history, Professor (Moscow) G.N.Chimitdorjiyeva, PhD in philology (Ulan-Ude) B.U. Kitinov, PhD in history, associate professor (Moscow) L.M.Korotetskaya, PhD in philosophy (Novosibirsk) A. Sh. Koybagarov (St. Petersburg) A.V.Lesnov, PhD in philosophy, associate professor (Magadan) E.V.Malyshkin, PhD in philosophy, associate professor (St.Petersburg) A.G Saldusova., PhD in philology (Elista) B.I. Zagumyonnov, PhD in philosophy (St. Petersburg)
COORDINATORS:
V.M. Dronova (St. Petersburg) e-mail: mailto:veradronova@gmail.com  tel.: +7 962 683 07 00; +7 911 921 20 43
A.B. Sokolov (St. Petersburg), e-mail: toleksokolov@gmail.com
THE WEB SITE OF THE CONFERENCE: http://vadjra-conference.buddhism.ru

CFP:Radical Secularization? Antwerp, September 20-22, 2012

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CALL FOR PAPERS: Radical Secularization? Antwerp, September 20-22-2012

International conference on contemporary philosophical secularization theory. Authors discussed include Blumenberg, Assmann, Nancy, Taylor, Gauchet, Habermas. Keynote speakers: Jean-Claude Monod (CNRS, Paris), Laurens ten Kate (Universiteit voor Humanistiek, Utrecht, Holland), André Cloots (K.U. Leuven, Louvain, Belgium), Guido Vanheeswijck (University of Antwerp), John Milbank (University of Nottingham, UK), Jonathan VanAntwerpen (director SSRC, New York, USA).

More information: http://www.ua.ac.be/main.aspx?c=*PIETERGIL&n=100022.

A call for papers, with possibility of publication as a conference proceeding, is open until May 1st.

For more information, seehttp://www.ua.ac.be/main.aspx?c=*PIETERGIL&n=100024or send an e-mail to stijn.latre@ua.ac.be

International Studies in Religion and Society

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International Studies in Religion and Society Edited by Lori G. Beaman and Peter Beyer, University of Ottawa
The Brill series, International Studies in Religion and Society (ISRS), publishes social scientific volumes that focus critically on research, debates, and theories in the forms, role, and relations of religion in contemporary society. Volumes have a transnational, multi-disciplinary, and often multi-sectional emphasis, bringing together insights from diverse fields such as history, legal studies, sociology, anthropology, religious studies, international relations, cultural studies, globalization, urban and gender studies. The series welcomes volumes that explore both neglected and much studied themes, seeking in each case to make a meaningful impact by breaking new ground, advancing current questions, and exploring new issues.

Book proposals are invited for volumes directed at a broad audience, research monographs and edited collections. Please send your book proposals to either the series editors Peter Beyer (pbeyer@uottawa.ca) and Lori Beaman (lbeaman@uottawa.ca) or Maarten Frieswijk at Brill (Frieswijk@brill.nl).

Titles in print include:

Exploring the Postsecular Edited by Arie L. Molendijk, Justin Beaumont and Christoph Jedan, University of Groningen. http://www.brill.nl/exploring-postsecular

Religions of Modernity Edited by Stef Aupers and Dick Houtman http://www.brill.nl/religions-modernity Medicine, Religion, and the Body Edited by Elizabeth Burns Coleman, Monash University and Kevin White, Australian National University http://www.brill.nl/medicine-religion-and-body

Holy Nations and Global Identities Edited by Annika Hvithamar, University of Southern Denmark, Margit Warburg, University of Copenhagen, and Brian Arly Jacobsen, University of Copenhagen http://www.brill.nl/holy-nations-and-global-identities

Pieties and Gender Edited by Lene Sjørup and Hilda Rømer Christensen http://www.brill.nl/pieties-and-gender

Christianity and Resistance in the 20th Century Edited by Søren Dosenrode
http://www.brill.nl/christianity-and-resistance-20th-century

Religion and Class in America: Culture, History, and Politics Edited by Sean McCloud and William A. Mirola http://www.brill.nl/religion-and-class-america-culture-history-and-politics

Religion, Globalization, and Culture Edited by Peter Beyer and Lori Beaman http://www.brill.nl/religion-globalization-and-culture

Religion and Society Edited by Gerrie ter Haar and Yoshio Tsuruoka http://www.brill.nl/religion-and-society

Religious Pluralism in the Diaspora Edited by P. Pratap Kumar http://www.brill.nl/religious-pluralism-diaspora

Religion and Politics Edited by Bernhard Giesen and Daniel Ṧuber http://www.brill.nl/religion-and-politics

Is there a God of Human Rights? Johannes van der Ven, Jaco S. Dreyer and Hendrik J.C. Pieterse
http://www.brill.nl/there-god-human-rights

Bridge or Barrier Edited by Gerrie ter Haar and James J. Busuttil http://www.brill.nl/bridge-or-barrier

Call for graduate papers on regulating religion

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The Religion and Diversity Project (www.religionanddiversity.ca) is launching an exciting new initiative – a graduate student E-Journal entitled: Regulating Religion! Papers for the first issue of Regulating Religion are now being accepted! Please consult the document below to learn more about this initiative and the submission process. For questions, please feel free to contact Amélie Barras (amelie.barras@umontreal.ca).

********************************************

Le projet Religion et diversité (www.religionanddiversity.ca) est fier d’annoncer le lancement d’une revue électronique pour les étudiants gradués intitulée : Réguler le religieux! Nous acceptons dès maintenant des articles! Veuillez consulter le document ci-joint afin d’en apprendre davantage sur cette revue et les procédures de soumission. Pour toutes questions, veuillez communiquer avec Amélie Barras (amelie.barras@umontreal.ca).

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New Call for Chapters – Handbook on African American Islam

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Call for submissions to Handbook on African American Islam – Aminah Beverly McCloud

According to the Gallup Poll (2009), African American Muslims comprise the largest ethnic group of Muslims in the United States at 35%, as well as the oldest. There are communities of African American Muslims across the United States, from large metropolitan areas such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, to small town communities in Kentucky and Tennessee. There is a wide range of economic diversity as there is a wide range of social class represented. Many families have produced three generations of Muslims who cling to the religion while living in an increasingly secular America. They too, are weathering the onslaught of Islamophobia and the pervasive fear and sometimes hate filled rhetoric of newscasters and other media pundits. There will be several contributors writing chapters devoted to their maturity as Muslims living in America, their contributions to their homeland’s religious landscape and their interactions with other Muslim and non-Muslim American communities. The goal of this effort is to publish an accessible and authoritative source for students of religious studies, American religions, African American religions, anthropology, Muslim cultures, and Islam in America. It will investigate the ongoing phenomenon of African American Islam as a religious culture in the American landscape. It will also provide case studies for those interested in Muslim cultural history. This handbook will be a compilation of various disciplinary approaches to the study of religion and religious communities.
The handbook will be handy history text in its characterization of African American Islam as a long-term presence in the United States that had its beginnings in American chattel slavery. With this in mind, I am soliciting chapters on:

1. The various communities that claim Islam – Particular communities such as the NOI, Moorish Science Temple, Nation of Islam, Sufi Communities, Darul Islam, communities of Warithudeen Muhammad, Shia communities, etc. Articles can be historical but must include current research.

2. Identity. Almost all members of the African American Muslim community speak of themselves in ways most commonly referred to as ‘disapora.’ Whether seeing themselves as ‘Muslims who live in America’ or Asiatics or Ethiopians; the notion of diaspora is prevalent. How do African American Muslims imagine themselves? Are there competing definitions of diaspora? What are the meanings of African and American in current Islamic thinking? How do African American women negotiate their Muslimness?

3. How have African American Muslim communities developed as Islamic communities? What are the varieties of the Islamic experience? Who is Muslim and what defines an Islamic experience? Is there an American Islam? Who represents Islam in America? What are media representations of African American Muslim Communities?

4. What are the relationships with other Muslim and non-Muslim religious communities? What are the bases for these relationships? Are African American Muslims involved in inter-faith dialogues and if so, on what terms? What is the status of engagement with the immigrant Muslim community?

5. Is there a “gender jihad” as expressed by Amina Wadud? Where does knowledge lay among the women? Are there issues of knowledge and power in marriage and family construction? What are women contributing to art, music, scholarship? Is there meaningful participation in the masajid? How are women shaping the activities of the masjid or other distinctly Muslim spaces?

6. What is the African American Muslim agenda for the 21st century? Do they have the same issues of Islamophobia, curtailment of civil liberties? How is American Islam going to be reflective of African American Islamic perspectives?

This Handbook will be published by Oxford in 2014. Those agreeing to submit a chapter will receive a contract with Oxford and a cash or book honorarium. Please send to Aminah Beverly McCloud your inquiries and hopefully willingness to submit by March 15, 2012 at amccloud@depaul.edu<mailto:amccloud@depaul.edu> .