The COST Action - “Connecting Theory and Practical Issues of Migration and Religious Diversity" (COREnet)
The COST Action - “Connecting Theory and Practical Issues of Migration and Religious Diversity" (COREnet) - is an interdisciplinary network that aims to produce, exchange and build knowledge and collaborations across Europe on the topic of migration and religious diversity. Specifically, COREnet focuses on combining theoretical and practical issues at the intersection of migration and religious diversity with a particular emphasis on bottom-up research.
This network is situated within the wider macro context of major political and societal grand challenges in relation to migration and religious diversity, evidenced recently in Europe by inward migration – specifically, migrants and refugees - from war-torn countries including Syria and Ukraine. Interdisciplinary research, cross-national collaborations to build capacity and knowledge, and widespread communication and information exchange pertaining to migration and religious diversity topics are essential means by which to document, compare and explore shared issues and concerns in migration and religious diversity.
The aim here is to better explain, understand and analyse the pertinent issues and challenges, and, moreover, to forward viable solutions and ways forward to support migrants, migration and religious diversity in an inclusive Europe.
The network aims thus to contribute to overcoming divisions within and across European countries through a collaborative approach that would add to existing social scientific knowledge on migration and religious diversity: the study of religions and theological insights explaining the narratives of migrants and refugees.
COREnet draws in researchers from all stages of their careers and across different European countries; training a new generation of interdisciplinary action researchers capable of connecting the study of religions and theology, and migration and the social sciences, and working that into action through processes of co-production.
This network bridges knowledge with stakeholders – governmental, non-governmental and media organisations - working in the field of diversity management at the local, national and European levels.
Action Chair Prof. Dr. Milda Ališauskienė
CSO Approval date: 25/05/2021
Start date: 21/10/2021
End date: 20/10/2025
Grant Holder: Vytautas Magnus University
To achieve the main goals of the Action, the following specific objectives shall be accomplished:
The overarching objective of this COST Action in relation to research coordination is to enable knowledge exchange and collaboration.
The Action will engage in activities which will facilitate the exchange of knowledge and arrange for new, practice-related research about migration and religious diversity (including the role of religious narratives in migration) in and across different (European) contexts. Senior researchers, early career investigators (ECI) and non-academic stakeholders will be brought together to collaboratively pursue the following six aims:
Building interdisciplinary, cross-European research capacity in the field of migration and religious diversity is integral to COREnet. In order to establish European and international research alliances and to carve out a joint future research agenda, the Action will fulfill the eight aims below.
Vytautas Magnus University
VID Specialized University
University of Helsinki
Heidelberg University
Vytautas Magnus University
Eskişehir Osmangazi University
Institute for Balkan Studies, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
University of Vienna
University of the Western Cape
University of Iceland
University of Malta
University of the Bundeswehr
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
NORCE Research Institute
University of Ferrara
University of Vienna
Jesuit University Ignatianum
Masaryk University
University of Eastern Finland
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Frederick University
Vytautas Magnus University
Dokuz Eylul University
Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb
Here you can find the Memorandum of Understanding of the Action.
This document explains the relevance, aims, objectives and expected results of the COREnet.