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Centre for Research in Social sciences and Humanities

(www.socialsciencesandhumanities.com)

is inviting paper/panel proposals for

Interdisciplinary Conference on Religion in Everyday lives to be held in

Vienna, Austria, 28-29. 03. 2014.

Conference venue: ***** Hotel Ambassador Vienna, A-1010 Wien, Kärntner Straße 22 / Neuer Markt 5, Austria, http://www.ambassador.at/

Religion is often discussed through the eyes of secularisation theory; however, there is no agreement on what secularisation is, or to what extent religion is present in our present lives even though religion is as influential as ever. Whether we understand secularisation as a decline of religious beliefs, privatization of religion, or as differentiation of the secular spheres and emancipation (Casanova 2006; Berger 2001), we still have to ask ourselves to what extent religion shapes our present lives. Many scholars believed religion will eventually loose importance and that societies will face decline of religious beliefs, but by the end of the 20th century many changed their views and acknowledged that secularisation theory does not work, and that religion is as important as ever (Berger, 1999). Nonetheless, we can agree with a view “religious communities have survived and even flourished to the degree that they have not tried to adapt themselves to the alleged requirements of a secularised world” (Berger, 1999: 4).

Recently, scholars also advocated that religion emerges in times of crisis such as, for example, the Arab Spring, breakup of former Yugoslavia, current economic crisis that is shaking the world etc. It is questionable whether we can truly discuss secularisation as a phenomenon, or we should simply turn our attention to the notion of religion in all of its aspects, and try to increase understanding of this complex phenomenon.

We are, therefore, seeking papers from social sciences and humanities that address religion and its influence on our present reality, and its growing importance.

Papers are invited (but not limited to) for the following panels:

Secularisation vs sacralisation

Methodology in researching religion

Spirituality

Pilgrimage

Religious practices

Religion and culture

Religion and the media

Religious subjectivity

Material religion

Religion and childhood

Religion and critical theory

Religion and discrimination

Religion and identity

Religion and education

Religion and belonging

Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

Religion and the Idea of Europe

Religion and ethnicity

Prospective participants are also welcome to submit proposals for their own panels.

Submissions of abstracts (up to 500 words), short bios (up to 100 words), and email contact should be sent to Dr Martina Topić

([log in to unmask]) by 1^st March 2014. Decisions will be made by 5^th March February, and payment of the conference fee has to be made by 15^th March.

Finalised Conference programme will be available by 20^th March.

The Centre established a peer review journal, and a working paper series. Conference papers will be considered.

We welcome paper proposals from scholars, NGO activists, Master and PhD students, and independent researchers.

Conference fee is EUR 290, and it includes

The registration fee

Conference bag and folder with materials

Conference publication

Access to the newsletter, and electronic editions of the Centre

Opportunity for participating in future activities of the Centre (research & co-editing volumes)

Discount towards participation fee for future conferences

Conference drinks (mineral water and fruit juices)

Coffee-break morning with drinks and pastries

Buffet Lunch (Hotel Ambassador)

Coffee-break afternoon with drinks and pastries

Buffet Dinner (Hotel Ambassador)

WLAN during the conference

Conference rate for rooms at Hotel Ambassador

Certificate of attendance

Centre for Research in Humanities and Social Sciences is a private institution founded in December 2013 in Croatia (EU).

We selected Austria as a place for hosting conferences due to Austria’s favourable geographic position, and liberal Visa regime for conference participants with EU Visa requirements.

Unfortunately, the Centre has no available funds for covering transport and accommodation in Austria. Participants are responsible for finding funding to cover transportation and accommodation costs during the whole period of the conference.

The Centre will not discriminate based on the origin and/or methodological/paradigmatic approach of prospective conference participants.

Conference drinks, coffee breaks, lunches and dinners are covered for both days of the conference.