Dear Colleague,

On behalf of the Conference Organizing Committee, I would like to inform you of the:

SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY IN SOCIETY
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
20-22 February, 2012
http://www.religion-conference.com

The Religion and Spirituality in Society Conference sets out to describe, analyze, and interpret the role of religion and spirituality in society. The bases of this endeavor are cross-disciplinary. The intellectual project is neutral with respect to the agendas of particular religions or explicit counterpoints to religion such as agnosticism or atheism. The Religion and Spirituality in Society Conference serves as a forum for those interested in the pursuit of scholarly conversation surrounding the key issues that impact the relationship between religion and society. The conference is intended as a space for careful, scholarly reflection and open dialogue while recognizing that a tension exists between the academic conversation and the practice of religious and spiritual traditions.

This year's conference is being held in Vancouver, Canada.  Bordered by the Coast Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver is a bustling urban center surrounded by nature. The city is well known for its commitment to diversity, sustainability, and multiculturalism. Visitors can enjoy cutting edge cuisine and a vibrant nightlife, in addition to exploring art galleries and museums to learn about the rich history of the region.  Of special note is The Museum of Anthropology at UBC, which offers unique insights into the  Pacific Northwest Coast First Nations cultures.

The conference will be comprised of parallel paper, workshop, and colloquium presentations by researchers and practitioners by leading thinkers in the field of religious study. Participants are invited to submit a presentation proposal for a 30-minute paper, 60-minute workshop, or a jointly presented 90-minute colloquium session.

Presenters may also choose to submit their written papers for publication in the peer-refereed International Journal of Religion and Society. Those who are unable to attend the conference in person are welcome to submit a virtual registration, which allows for submission of a paper for refereeing and possible publication in the journal, as well as an option to upload a video presentation to the conference YouTube channel.

The deadline for the next round in the call for papers (a title and short abstract) is 5 May 2011. Future deadlines will be announced on the conference website after this date. Proposals are reviewed within two weeks of submission. Full details of the conference, including an online proposal submission form, may be found at the conference website: http://www.religion-conference.com .

We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver in February 2012.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Robert McKim
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, Illinois