2015 Annual Conference- Resurgent Religion in Global Politics
Chinese Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
17-18 July, 2015
Renmin University of China, Beijing, PRC
The Chinese Societyfor the Scientific Study of Religion(CSSSR) was founded in 2004 by scholars in religion and social science. Its purpose is to stimulate and communicate significant scientific research on religious institutions and religious experience. The CSSSR has held eleven annual conferences and eleven annual summer seminars, which notonly greatly advanced the scientific studies of religion in China, but also stimulated global academic exchange as well as dialogue between scholars and governmental officials.
Our theme for the 2015 conference is “Resurgent Religion in Global Politics.”
The world is not heading to its secular destiny. Neitherwill religion turn privatize. Religion is still an influential player in global politics. On the one hand, moderate religion is sustaining the welfare ofsociety and the good governance of the state. However, on the other hand, therising of religious extremism is challenging political order and socialharmony. To some extent, religion is a problem as well as a solution. It triggers hatred and conflict. But it also contributes to reconciliation and peace. The paradoxical phenomena of religion in global politics call for new framework beyond the secularization thesis and the privatization thesis. This conference invites scholars from different disciplines, to find out the condition and mechanism which stimulate religion’s moderation and extremalization from aglobal perspective.
In this conference, we have invited two formerpresidents of the International Society for the Sociology of Religion—David Martin (Fellow of British Academy, Professor Emeritus of LSE) and Grace Davie (Professor Emeritus of University of Exeter) to deliver keynote speeches on Religion and Violence, as well as Changing Religion in Europe respectively. Besides these two keynote speeches, we also have several panels on the following topics:
l Main findings from the China Religion Survey on 5000 Religious Venues
l Fighting Religious Extremism in the World: Lessons from Four Countries
l A Roundtable on Religion and Chinese Society
l Islam and Politics around the World
l Religion and Chinese Diasporas
l Anthropology of Christianity in China: Findings from Four Cities
l Religion and Health
Suggestions for contributions include:
· 1. Religious extremism and conflict resolution
· 2. The studies of church-state relations and legislation on religious affairs
· 2. Qualitative and quantitative research of religion
· 3. Theories and methods in social scientific studies of religion
Other topics will be considered.
Scholars from all fields of study who are interested in the scientific exploration of religion are invited to participate in the annual conferences and share their research and ideas with other scholars.
Important dates:
1. May 30th, 2015: deadline for submitting abstracts (please include Title, full name, email address, affiliation and position, and the abstract inabout 250 words)
2. June 15th, 2015: acceptance notice;
3. June 30, 2015: due date of the fullpaper;
4. July16, 2015: arrival
5. July 19, 2015: departure
This Annual Conference is co-sponsored by the Advanced Institute for the Studies of Religion at Renmin University of China(RUC), the Institute for theStudy of Buddhism and Religious Theories at RUC, and the School of Philosophy at RUC and the National Survey and Research Center at RUC.
Abstracts, papers and presentations may be either in English or in Chinese. To propose a presentation, please send your abstract (about 250 words) and a shortbio-sketch (100-200 words) to: zjshkx@ruc.edu.cn.
Coordinator: Zhifeng Zhong
Email: zjshkx@ruc.edu.cn
Tel.: 8610-62510689-1038