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COREnet and ISSR conference “Religion, Migration, and Conflicts in Polarized Societies”

Jul 05, 2024
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International Society for the Sociology of Religion and
COST Action COREnet
and Vytautas Magnus University V. Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute
conference

Religion, Migration, and Conflicts in Polarized Societies

June 30 – July 4, 2025
Vytautas Magnus University
Kaunas, Lithuania

We live in a globalized world shaped by migration, geopolitical crises, and social polarization. Religion is closely entangled with these changes. Linking up with the theoretical debates in the sociology of religion about the role of religion in public life, we invite scholars to reconsider how religion, in terms of religious practices, discourses, imaginaries, organizations, and individuals, is involved in the context of a currently polarized society. The role of religion in social and political conflicts within polarized society, as well as religious contributions to their mitigation and overcoming, is a timely and relevant scientific and social question. When moving to new places to escape violent conflicts, entire religious communities struggle with integration into host societies. One issue arising concerns the ways the modified religious landscape is socially constructed and accepted. How do diverse social formations contribute to the integration of migrating religions and their communities and how do the conflicts change the relationship to established religions and society in general?

How does the potential of religious beliefs to counter or contribute to economic, political, and social polarization play out? How might sociological research illuminate the contributions of conflictual and peaceful aspects of religions to geopolitical crises? How do political conflicts, social polarizations, and religious responses change existing religion, politics, and state relations and their interpretations? How do they change the public perception of religion, religious identity, and individual religiosity?

We hereby invite ISSR members in good standing and COST Action COREnet members to submit their session and paper proposals following but not limited to the raised questions and join us for lively days of academic discussions in Kaunas, Lithuania.

UPDATED Conference timeline:

The conference is co-organized by the International Society for the Sociology of Religion, COST Action 20107 “Connecting Theory and Practical Issues of Migration and Religious Diversity” (COREnet) and Vytautas Magnus University V. Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute.

Call for papers.

Conference website.

 

About COST

This activity is based upon work from the COST Action “Connecting Theory and Practical Issues of Migration and Religious Diversity” (COREnet) CA20107, which is supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career, and innovation. www.cost.eu

About Vytautas Magnus University V. Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute

The event is a part of the project “Strengthening the R&D activities of the Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (SOCMTEP)”. The project is funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, Contract No S-A-UEI-23-13 (2023-12-27).

 



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