Call for papers

European Association for the Study of Religions, International Association for the History of Religions, Czech Society for the Study of Religions and Department for the Study of Religions at Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno

call for conference papers:

“Time of Decline, Time of Hope: Scientific, Cultural and Political Engagement of the Study of Religions” (7 to 11 September 2008, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic)

Conference is held under the Patronage of the Minister of Education of Czech Republic Mr Ondřej Liška, the Mayor of Brno Mr Roman Onderka and the Rector of Masaryk University Prof. Petr Fiala.

It has the status of a special conference of the International Association for the History of Religions, and will hold meetings of the IAHR International Committee and the IAHR Executive Committee.

Proposals for papers (including abstracts) may be submitted via the online registration form. Proposals for organised panels are to be submitted individually to Dr David Vaclavik. We encourage participants to do so early, even though the deadline for the submission of abstracts and panels is 16 June 2008.

The conference language is English.

Each presentation/paper will be given 30 minutes, including discussion.

If you have questions concerning the academic programme of the conference, please contact Dr David Vaclavik.
If you have questions concerning the general organisation of the conference, please contact Mrs Lucie Celkova.
If you have questions concerning the payment of conference fee, please contact Dr Ales Chalupa.

Suggested topics to which panels and papers may relate:

  1. Is theory and methodology of academic study of religions in crisis?
  2. Crossroads in the history of academic study of religions (events, reversions, persons).
  3. Academic study of religions in Central and Eastern European countries and its place in European research.
  4. Academic study of religions and multiculturalism: principles of coexistence of religions in one political and legal area.
  5. Contemporary religious situation in Europe and its reflection from the point of view of the academic study of religions.
  6. Value neutrality and objectivity in the academic study of religions.
  7. Experience and reflection: religious experience and experience in the academic study of religions.
  8. Religion in the public sphere.
  9. Religions in contact: encounter, communication and mission.
  10. Reading between the lines: textual sources and the study of religions.
  11. Approaches of academic study of religions in the study of archaic religions.
  12. Reconsidering identities: religion, nation and politics.

 

On behalf of the conference organizing committee
Yours sincerely,

Prof. Bretislav Horyna,
President of Czech Society for the Study of Religions

Dr David Vaclavik,
General Secretary of Czech Society for the Study of Religions