Short-Term Scientific Mission on the governance of religious diversity

Over the past fifteen years, there has been a growing body of literature focusing on the connections between interfaith platforms and local public authorities in European cities, especially by highlighting their entanglements in urban governance of religious diversity. Alongside this widespread pattern, national religious platforms interacting with central public authorities have also emerged in some European countries.

This information comes from the Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) conducted at the University of Helsinki Swedish School of Social Science (Finland) by researcher Dr. Marco Guglielmi from the University of Padova, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (Italy). This STSM was funded by COST Action COREnet.

The STSM specifically examined the connections between interreligious platforms and public authorities at the national level in Finland. Initial findings focused on the organizational and societal characteristics of these well-established interfaith platforms, as well as the different policy areas affected by interreligious relations.

Given the increase of religious minorities in European countries due to the exponential growth of migration flows, the governance of religious diversity and the related interreligious dialogue initiatives have become pivotal subjects of academic and political relevance involving all European countries. Therefore, the STSM project aimed to enhance expertise and skills of the researcher about the above interdisciplinary and innovative topic.

The STSM involved meetings with actors and stakeholders related to interreligious dialogue and governance of religious diversity. Thanks to the support of the STSM advisor Prof. Tuomas Martikainen, Dr. Marco Guglielmi met with leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Finnish Orthodox Church, the interreligious organization CORE Forum, the interreligious association Dialogue4Peace, as well as action scholars at the University of Helsinki, the Polin Institute and the Donner Institute.

Finally, the STSM focused on structuring two scientific articles, one covering a literature review on interreligious dialogue (from theology to religious studies) and the other on interreligious relations and public policies.

What is a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) within COREnet?

A Short-Term Scientific Mission, funded by the COST Action COREnet, consists of a visit to a host organization located in a different country to the country of affiliation of a Researcher in order to carry out specific work as part of a research project. In addition to research purposes, Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are aimed to support researchers’ individual mobility, to strengthen existing networks and to foster collaboration between individuals. The purpose of a STSM is thus to gain new partnerships, to learn new techniques and to gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions/organizations.

In the main photo: Dr. Marco Guglielmi with Riina Sinisalo, Action researcher on interfaith relations and PhD student