ISORECEA 2018

CALL FOR PAPERS

for the 13th Conference of International Study of Religion in Eastern

and Central Europe Association (ISORECEA)

                 &

Special Conference of the International Association for the History of

Religions (IAHR)

UN(B)LOCKING RELIGION: STUDYING RELIGION IN TODAY’S CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

University of Szeged, Hungary

May 24-26, 2018

How can we move forward with the study of religion in Central and Eastern

Europe? The Szeged conference takes stock of recent theoretical, empirical,

and methodological developments; it brings together different perspectives

and types of material, from ethnography and everyday religion to surveys and

discourse via visual [photography, films, comics] and literary analysis to sound

out contemporary religion.

The title of the conference, “Un(b)locking religion” provides a variety of

potential perspectives to study religious developments in the region. Almost

three decades ago, religion became un(b)locked in CEE in terms of a new

religious freedom. Furthermore, religion became a social factor beyond church

walls. However, as a number of studies have shown, religious processes after

the fall of Communism were quite diverse; there is no single path of

development characteristic for the entire former Eastern Bloc. This is another

way to interpret “un(B)loc[k]ing”. And looking at the current situation,

“un(b)locking” could also refer to the similarities and differences between blocs

of confessions, and types of religion. These are just three different ways to

look at “un(b)locking religion”; other interpretations are of course also warmly

welcome.

We encourage authors to submit paper proposals addressing empirical cases as

well as methodological and theoretical aspects of the study of religion in

Central and Eastern Europe, but also on other parts of the world and take part

in discussion on different topics, like:

- Methodological challenges in the research of religion

- "Soft" methodology in the investigation of religion

- Limits of theoretical approaches to religious changes in CEE

- Images of religion in CEE

- Social Sciences between the science and public sphere

- Religion in everyday life

- Comparative empirical data on religion in CEE

- Non/religious minorities and majorities

- Social inequality and religion

- Religious discourse on Eastern and Western Europe

- Religious education in public and religious schools

- Transformations of religious pluralisms in CEE societies

- Religion and refugee crisis in public of CEE

- Religions and integration of migrants in CEE

Keynote speakers:

1. Detlef Pollack (University of M?nster)

2. Agnieszka Pasieka (University of Vienna)

Please submit a 200-300 words abstract of your presentation and a 100-

word bio by e-mail to: isorecea2018@gmail.com by December 1, 2017.

If you are interested in a specific topic related to the theme of un(b)locking

religion we encourage you to organize a session/panel. In this case, please

submit a 300-400 words proposal with full session details (names and

affiliation of contributors, titles of their presentations) by December 1, 2017

to the same email address.

Key dates

Submission of paper and session/panel proposals: December 1, 2017.

Notification of acceptance and opening of the registration: January 15, 2018.

Final date of the registration for the conference: February 30, 2018.

Final program: March 31, 2018.

Please note that in order to present a paper you need to be a member of

ISORECEA for the years 2018-2019.