Monthly Archives: December 2012

Le religieux sur Internet

Colloque organisé par Fabienne Duteil-Ogata, Isabelle Jonveaux, Liliane Kuczynski et Sophie Nizard au site CNRS Pouchet

61 rue Pouchet, 75017 Paris

Contact : afsr@afsr.cnrs.fr https://www.afsr.cnrs.fr

LUNDI 4 FÉVRIER 2013

9H-12H :

Accueil : Anne-Sophie Lamine, Présidente de l’AFSR

Introduction Isabelle Jonveaux, Liliane Kuczynski, Fabienne Duteil-Ogata, Sophie Nizard

REDESSINER LE PAYSAGE RELIGIEUX : PROBLEMATIQUES GENERALES – sous la présidence de Sabrina Mervin, CEIFR

• Jolyon Mitchell, The University of Edinburgh (Grande-Bretagne) : Digital Religion: Inciting Violence and Promoting Peace?

• Heidi Campbell, Texas A and M University (Etats-Unis) : Networked Religion : Understanding Religion online and offline in a Networked Society

• Mia Lövheim, Uppsala University (Suède) :

New Media, Religion, and Gender

• Oliver Krüger, Université de Fribourg (Suisse) :

La Noosphère, dieu et l’internet. Histoire de l’évolution et de l’utopie de la communauté à l’âge des médias

• Selami Varlik, EHESS/CRAL :

L’autorité du discours religieux sur Internet à l’épreuve du cercle herméneutique entre oralité et écriture : le cas de l’islam

12H-13H : ASSEMBLEE GENERALE DE L’AFSR

14H-17H 30 : DES CONCEPTEURS AUX USAGERS - sous la présidence de Nicoletta Diasio, Université de Strasbourg

• Pascal Lardellier, Université de Bourgogne :

Rencontres virtuelles religieuses, très réelle endogamie

• Sandra Houot, Université Lyon 2 :

Du virtuel et de ses usages : Une lecture renouvelée de l’islam contemporain

• Andrea Catellani, Université catholique de Louvain (Belgique) : Prier en ligne/ le site “Notre Dame du Web”, observations socio-sémiotiques

• Pierre-Yves Kirschleger, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier III : Aux commandes du premier réseau protestant francophone, Jésus.net

• Damien Mottier, Musée du Quai Branly :

Le télé-fidèle existe-t-il ? Enquête au sein d’une Église pentecôtiste africaine de la région parisienne

• David Douyère, Université Paris 13 :

Accompagner et susciter la prière à distance

SEANCE POSTERS

18h : Un cocktail sera offert aux participants

MARDI 5 FÉVRIER 2013

9H-12H30 : VISIBILITE ET AUTORITE DU RELIGIEUX ONLINE ET OFFLINE - sous la présidence de Antonio Casilli, Institut Mines Telecom

• Chrystal Vanel, EPHE/GSRL (CNRS) :

Mormonisme et Internet : entre promotion institutionnelle et régulation de l’utilisation individuelle

• Alexandre Benod, Université Jean-Moulin Lyon 3 :

Le Web à tâtons ou comment la nouvelle religion japonaise Agonshû se perd sur la toile

• Ingrid Therwath, Centre de sciences humaines New Delhi (Inde) : Le nationalisme hindou sur la Toile: mondialisation, délocalisation et discrétion

• Laurence Podselver, EHESS/CRH/CEJ :

De la visibilité à la religion spectacle ; la judéité sur internet

• André Julliard, CNRS/IDEMEC :

L’imaginaire n’est plus au pied de la statue. Politique internationale et Internet dans les cultes à S. Nicolas (France, Italie)

• Isabelle Jonveaux, Université de Graz (Autriche) et EHESS/CEIFR : La virtualité comme catégorie religieuse. Monastères invisibles et monastères en ligne

SEANCE POSTERS

14H-17H30 : DU VIRTUEL ET DU REEL, PRESENCE/ABSENCE DES CORPS - sous la présidence de Sophie Nizard, CEIFR

• Kerstin Radde Antweiler, Université de Bremen (Allemagne) : Real Religion, Authenticity as an Analytical Concept for Internet Research ?

• Fabienne Duteil-Ogata, LAU/IIAC :

Nouvelles pratiques funéraires japonaises : de la tombe ordinateur à la tombe online

• Mira Niculescu, EHESS/CEIFR :

Se connecter et prendre l’avion. De San Francisco à Jérusalem, la nouvelle méditation juive en réseau

• Julien Bondaz, LAS-ENS :

Images cultuelles et écrans mourides. Deux cas d’expertise iconographique et religieuse sur Internet

• Lionel Obadia, Université Lyon 2 :

Quand la virtualité façonne la réalité sociale : les fake cults et la Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

DEBAT ET CONCLUSIONS DU COLLOQUE

Posters :

- Constance Arminjon, EPHE : La diffusion d’Internet et l’ouverture d’un nouveau champ dans le droit islamique chiite

- Mirel Banica, Institut roumain d’histoire des religions (Roumanie) : Religion, « miracle » et Internet. Le cas de l’Orthodoxie roumaine

- Sariette Batibonak, Université Aix-Marseille : Cyber-évangélisation : le cas du Cameroun

- Sara Batts, Loughborough University (Grande-Bretagne) : English Christian Churches and the internet

- François-Xavier Bauduin, CEIFR/EHESS : Le mouvement raélien et son positionnement sur internet : entre stratégie de prosélytisme et régulation de l’expression communautaire du croire

- Claire Donnet, Université de Strasbourg : Les onlines religions, des terrains sociologiques à part entière : l’exemple d’Hijab and the city

- Rose-Marie Farwell, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand : Internet et constructions identitaires dans le milieu néo-païen en Angleterre

- Fatima Khemilat, EPHE et Université Paris 1 : Le rôle d’internet dans les controverses autour de l’islam en France: entre mobilisation et contre-mobilisation. Le cas de la controverse autour des prières de rue

- Edmond Mbala Elanga, Université de Douala (Cameroun) : « Que ta volonté soit faite sur le Web comme au ciel » : quand internet devient le « nouveau tam-tam » des hommes de Dieu au Cameroun

- Elena Zapponi, Université La Sapienza (Italie) : L’«écoumène yoruba» et Internet. Un lieu virtuel de recomposition de la santería cubaine ?

Religion in the Neoliberal Age

Political Economy and Modes of Governance Edited by François Gauthier, University of Fribourg, Switzerland and Tuomas Martikainen, University of Helsinki, Finland Ashgate 2013

https://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9781409449782

This book, together with the complementary volume Religion in Consumer Society, focuses on religion, neoliberalism and consumer society; offering an overview of an emerging field of research in the study of contemporary religion. Outlining changes in both the political-institutional and cultural spheres, the contributors offer an international overview of developments in different countries and state of the art representation of religion in the new global political economy.

‘Tuomas Martikainen and François Gauthier seek to break new ground and work toward a synthesis and clarification of the diverse and often contradictory approaches to understanding the transformation of religion in today’s globalized world. The contributors to the volume analyze these changes as integral to the recent economic shaping of culture in the form of consumerism and neoliberalism. They explore the changing landscape of relations between religions and states in the context of the rise of market-oriented, neoliberal modes of governance and management, including as concerns religious organizations.’

– Peter Beyer, University of Ottawa, Canada

Contents

Introduction: Religion in Market Society François Gauthier, Tuomas Martikainen and Linda Woodhead

PART I Religions in the New Political Economy

1 Entrepreneurial Spirituality and Ecumenical Alterglobalism:

Two Religious Responses to Global Neoliberalism Joanildo A. Burity

2 Making Religion Irrelevant: The ‘Resurgent Religion’ Narrative and the Critique of Neoliberalism James V. Spickard

3 The Decline of the Parishes and the Rise of City Churches:

The German Evangelical Church in the Age of Neoliberalism Jens Schlamelcher

4 Catholic Church Civil Society Activism and the Neoliberal Governmental Project of Migrant Integration in Ireland Breda Gray

5 Faith, Welfare and the Formation of the Modern American Right Jason Hackworth

PART II Political Governance of Religion

6 Neoliberalism and the Privatization of Welfare and Religious Organizations in the United States of America David Ashley and Ryan Sandefer

7 Multilevel and Pluricentric Network Governance of Religion Tuomas Martikainen

8 Regulating Religion in a Neoliberal Context:

The Transformation of Estonia

Ringo Ringvee

9 Neoliberalism and Counterterrorism Laws: Impact on Australian Muslim Community Organizations Agnes Chong

10 From Implicitly Christian to Neoliberal: The Moral Foundations of Canadian Law Exposed by the Case of Prostitution Rachel Chagnon and François Gauthier

11 Religious Freedom and Neoliberalism: From Harm to Cost-benefit Lori G. Beaman

Whatever Happened to the Islamists?: Salafis, Heavy Metal Muslims, and the Lure of Consumerist Islam Eds. Amel Boubekeur & Olivier Roy Columbia/Hurst, 2012

https://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-15426-0/whatever-happened-to-the-islamists

Widespread confusion over the use of the terms Islamism or Political Islam often obscures the fact that these are not new phenomena and can be traced back more than a century. But like all utopian beliefs, such as Communism, Islamism cannot entirely resist the broader currents of political and social change that confront it today, especially globalisation. Through meticulous on the ground and theoretical research in to the trajectories of current and former Islamists, the contributors to this book seek to understand what has become of political Islam.

While many scholars have focused on the drift to violence of historical Islamism, they look at the other side of the coin to describe the continuities and not the ruptures of Islamism with its own ideology.

Political Islam remains relevant to a new generation of militants but the channels through which it is expressed have changed. Jihad is often conducted electronically, via membership of Islamist e-mail list-servers; Islamist activism has been personalised, domesticated even, through the consumption of Islamic soft drinks and other lifestyle choices; and, the street protests that characterised the Islamist struggle in its heyday face competition from Islamic rap stars’

concerts. These are among the issues addressed in this innovative volume.

Reviews

Although recent events in the Middle East seem to answer the question posed by this volume’s title, news headlines obscure a tectonic shift in Islamism that has occurred over the last couple of decades. Whatever Happened to the Islamists? represents one of the most exciting and innovative analyses of contemporary dislocations in the ideological project of political Islam to be published in recent years. It points the way forward for an entire field of study. (Peter Mandaville, George Mason University and author of Global Political Islam )

Amel Boubekeur and Olivier Roy present a refreshing and provocative collection of essays, including several by younger scholars and others whose writings are rarely available in English. They display the iconoclasm, unanticipated fusions, and the modernity of contemporary Islamic activism, much of which does not see conquest of state power as a central objective. Islamic activism today is manifested in all-women heavy metal bands, consumerism, corporate big business, and individualised consumer and cultural choices. This book deserves to be widely read and debated, especially by journalists, pundits, and public policy makers who may have thought they already knew what Islamism is.

(Joel Beinin, Donald J. McLachlan Professor of History, Stanford University )

Whatever Happened to the Islamists? will be welcomed by all who seek to understand the impact of the Arab uprising and the role of Islamists during this historic period of political transformation in the Arab world. (John L. Esposito, University Professor, Georgetown University and author of The Future of Islam ) About the Authors

Amel Boubekeur is a research fellow at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales and the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center. She has been an Associate Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Centre for European Policy Studies. Working on Islam in Europe and Arab politics, she is the author of European Islam : Challenges for Public Policy and Society and Le voile de la mariée.

Olivier Roy is a professor at l’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris and a research director at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. A world authority on Islam and politics, Roy’s books are Secularism Confronts Islam, The Failure of Political Islam, The New Central Asia: The Creation of Nations, Globalized Islam: The Search for a New Ummah, and, with Mariam Abou Zahab, Islamist Networks: The Afghan-Pakistan Connection.

IIIT SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR SCHOLARS 2013

Islamic Reform Movements After the Arab Spring June 24 – July 3, 2013 International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon, Virginia, USA

Call for Papers

The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) will convene its 6th Summer Institute for scholars between June 24 and July 3, 2013 at its headquarters in Herndon, Virginia, USA. The Summer Institute is an annual meeting dedicated to the study of contemporary approaches to Qur’an and Sunnah that brings together senior and young scholars to present papers and participate in panels and informal discussions focused on topics related to a particular theme.

The theme of this year’s program is “Islamic Reform Movements after the Arab Spring”. The meeting will explore the implications of the Arab Spring on Islamic reform movements in the Arab world and the wider Muslim world, and examine questions such as: 1) How did the Arab Spring influence contemporary Islamic reform movements in the Arab world? 2) What were the reactions of major Islamic groups to the uprising? 3) What are the implications of the rise of Islamists to power - domestically, regionally and internationally? 4) What is the significance of these radical political changes on Islamic political thought in general and on the institutional practices and organization of Islamist groups in particular? 5) How will these changes influence the relationship between Islamic movements/parties and the Western world? 6) What are the implications of the Arab Spring for other Muslim countries? These and other relevant questions will be the focal areas of discussions during the meeting.

Deadline for abstracts is February 15, 2013 and for final papers is May 15, 2013.

The Institute will convene on June 24 and will conclude on July 3rd, 2013.

IIIT will publishe selected papers in an edited volume, within one year after the Seminar.

IIIT will cover travel cost (from continental US and Canada) and will provide hotel accommodation for scholars with accepted papers, and will pay each scholar a per diem of $100 for participation and $1,000 for a published paper.

Abstracts and papers should be sent to: scholars2013@iiit.org. For inquiries, please call 703 471 1133 Ext 101.

Collaborative Partnerships between universities and Muslim institutions

Call for Papers

Deadline for submission of abstracts: 5pm, 28th February 2013

Collaborative partnerships between universities and Muslim institutions: dismantling the roadblocks

23rd May 2013, Senate House, London

27th June 2013, Birmingham University, Birmingham

Funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

https://www.derby.ac.uk/collaborative-partnerships-project

This is a call for papers for two conferences that are being organised as part of an ESRC funded follow-on project exploring Collaborative Partnerships between universities and Muslim institutions. This project builds on previous research around Muslim faith leadership, Islamic Studies in pluralist British contexts, women’s education and learning Arabic. Our research findings indicate that it is possible to address these issues at higher education level, focusing particularly on ways to forge a more cohesive society for Muslims and other Britons. This work will bring together Islamic Studies academics, scholars and practitioners (including professionals who may have aspects of Islamic studies in their work) to facilitate increased collaborative partnerships and linkages between UK universities and Muslim institutions, and is aimed both at academia and Muslim communities. We hope to publish a selection of these papers.

We welcome papers that explore any aspect of Islamic education at the HE (Higher Education) and FE (Further Education) levels, both in validated and non-validated sectors in Britain and beyond. We are particularly keen to include papers that incorporate the following themes:

1. Islamic Education for cohesion, pluralism and inter-faith dialogue

2. Collaborative educational models in the UK and beyond

3. Barriers to collaborative partnerships and possible solutions

4. International and local best practice

5. Approaches to theological training in other faiths

6. Teaching and learning Arabic

Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words, along with a short biography (150 words) to Dr Sariya Contractor (s.contractor@derby.ac.uk) and Dr. Alison Scott-Baumann (alisonscottb@gmail.com) by 5pm on Thursday 28th February, 2013. Non-academics are welcome to submit abstracts. To enhance the accessibility of our work particularly to community groups we are running conferences in two different venues. Papers will be allocated thematically to each venue, if however you have a venue preference, please indicate this in your e-mail. For further details please visit our website - https://www.derby.ac.uk/collaborative-partnerships-project or contact the Project Administrator Michelle Wood by email on m.wood@derby.ac.uk or by phone on 01332 592896.

Doctoral and Postdoctoral Positions, The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity

The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity (Department for Socio-Cultural Diversity) is seeking to appoint

1. up to four researchers (wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter/innen) at the doctoral and postdoctoral level

Applicants should have a degree in anthropology, sociology, political science, or geography. Applicants for the postdoctoral positions should have an excellent PhD, publications and envisage a research career.

Their research experience and publications should be relevant to the research areas of the department.

Applicants for a doctoral position should have a research project in mind for their PhD (and send a brief description of about one page), but need not have a fully developed proposal. Advanced PhD students may also apply for one- or two-year writing-up scholarships. Please note: the Max Planck Institute does not award doctorates; PhD students should independently enroll in universities. Presence at the Göttingen institute is required.

Very good spoken and written English is required.

The successful applicants will contribute to the department’s research relating to

- social interactions in contexts of diversity,

- organisations, institutions and diversity (including e.g. cities or NGOs),

- superdiversity and its consequences.

Initial contracts will be for two years and are renewable to up to 4 years (for PhDs) and up to six years (for postdoctoral fellows). Salary will be based on the German public service scale TVöD, level E 13 (50% for PhDs). The envisaged starting date is 1 June 2013.

The deadline for electronic (one file please) or postal applications is

6 February 2013.

Applications should include a cover letter, CV, a list of publications, and the names and contact details of two potential referees. PhD applicants in particular should send a record of university courses and performance.

Interviews will be held in the first half of March 2013.

2. two one-year postdoctoral researchers

Scholars whose research relates to the substantive concerns of the department’s research programme and whose PhDs have been submitted by 1 June 2013 are eligible to apply. The fellowship is intended to provide the basis for developing a new research project or writing the PhD thesis into publications. The fellowship holders are expected to take part in the academic life of the institute.

Fellowships will begin on 1 September or 1 October 2013.

The deadline for electronic (one file please) or postal applications is

1 June 2013. Applications should include a cover letter, CV, a list of publications, a research/writing plan for the period of the fellowship and the names and contact details of two potential referees. Please also send an electronic copy of the PhD-thesis or sample chapters. These will of course be treated confidentially.

Based on the guidelines of the Max-Planck Society, fellowships entail a monthly stipend of approximately € 1.468 to € 1.621 (German nationals) or € 2.100 to € 3.000 (foreign nationals). Stipends are not subject to income tax or obligatory social security contributions.

The Max Planck Society wishes to increase the participation of women wherever they are underrepresented; therefore, applications from women are particularly welcome.

Following its commitment to an equal opportunities employment policy, the Max Planck Society also especially encourages handicapped persons to submit their applications.

Applications should be sent to: Frau C. Albern, Max-Planck-Institut zur Erforschung multireligiöser und multiethnischer Gesellschaften, Hermann-Föge-Weg 11, D-37073 Göttingen (per post), or electronically to VWE@mmg.mpg.de

For further details about the positions contact Prof. Dr. Karen Schönwälder at schoenwaelder@mmg.mpg.de

Call:

https://www.mmg.mpg.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Stellen/2012_Ausschreibungen_researchers_postdocs.pdf

Book Announcement

1.- Alfonso PÉREZ-AGOTE, Cambio religioso en España : los avatares de la secularización, Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas, Madrid, 2012

(Religious Change in Spain: the vicissitudes of secularization.)

Content:

1. Theoretical limits and analytical dimensions of the concept of secularization.

2. Secularization in Spain: the three contemporary logics of religion

3. The difficult separation of church and state.

4. The waves of subjective secularization (a first look).

5. A typology of ways of making sense of life in contemporary Spanish society.

6. The places of religion in the current Spanish population: an overview.

https://www.cis.es/cis/opencm/ES/3_publicaciones/colecciones/ver.jsp?id=9788474765960

2.- Alfonso PÉREZ-AGOTE (dir.),  Portraits du catholicisme. Une comparaison européenne, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, Rennes, 2012

(Portraits of Catholicism. A European comparison)

L’Europe occidentale, nous dit-on, est le théâtre privilégié de la sécularisation et du désenchantement du monde. Mais qu’en est-il vraiment du rapport entre la modernité et l’effacement du religieux à l’horizon des sociétés contemporaines ? La perte d’emprise des institutions ecclésiales signifie-t-elle la fin des croyances religieuses ? Quelle place le catholicisme occupe-t-il encore au sein de cultures qu’il a contribué à façonner ? Qu’advient-il de ses structures, de sa présence à l’actualité, de sa capacité à peser dans le débat public ou dans les pratiques privées de nos contemporains ? En un mot, quel rôle nos sociétés assignent-elles à un « religieux » dont on n’en finit pas d’annoncer à la fois la disparition et le retour ?

De 2006 à 2012, ces questions ont été au centre des travaux du Groupe Européen de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur le Changement Religieux (GERICR). Sociologues, politistes et historiens, issus de cinq pays européens de tradition catholique, les chercheurs du GERICR se sont rencontrés à plusieurs reprises, comparant leurs démarches, confrontant leurs résultats, construisant à l’épreuve de leurs débats un questionnaire dont ce livre est issu. Le lecteur y trouvera les analyses de la situation du catholicisme en Belgique, en Espagne, en France, en Italie et au Portugal, élaborées selon un plan commun et autour de thématiques parallèles. Un dernier chapitre, rédigé collectivement, propose une synthèse comparative. Unique en son genre, ce livre est à la fois l’analyse inédite de l’évolution du catholicisme en Europe occidentale au cours des dernières décennies, et le résultat d’une aventure intellectuelle partagée. 

https://www.pur-editions.fr/detail.php?idOuv=3067

Régis DERICQUEBOURG Georges Roux dit « le Christ de Monfavet »

Ce livre est une invitation à découvrir un enseignement qui répond de façon originale à des préoccupations très actuelles : l’écologie, les pratiques spirituelles de guérison, le goût pour l’ésotérisme. Son auteur, Georges Roux souvent tourné en dérision et appelé « le Christ de Montfavet » se situe parmi les précurseurs du Nouvel Âge. Il y avait donc un intérêt à le présenter, lui et ses disciples, aujourd’hui.

Régis Dericquebourg est sociologue, Il est titulaire d’un diplôme supérieur spécialisé en psychologie clinique de l’université Paris VII et il a exercé en qualité de psychothérapeute dans un centre hospitalier. Il est actuellement maître de conférences en psychologie sociale clinique à l’Université Charles de Gaulle (Lille). Il est membre du Groupe de sociologie des religions et de la laïcité au CNRS.

Spécialisé dans l’étude des groupes religieux minoritaires, il a soutenu la première thèse française sur les Témoins de Jéhovah (1979). En 1986, il a commencé à étudier les « Églises de guérison » comme les Antoinistes et la science chrétienne. Il a également participé à un livre collectif au sujet de la scientologie en 2009 ». Régis Dericquebourg est l’auteur de plusieurs ouvrages et de nombreux articles publiés dans des revues scientifiques. Il a contribué à de nombreux colloques scientifiques nationaux et internationaux.

Où se procurer nos ouvrages ?

Adresser les commandes à votre libraire ou directement à :

Pour la Belgique :

E.M.E. (Éditions Modulaires Européennes) & InterCommunications s.p.r.l.

40, rue de Hanret

BE – 5380 Fernelmont

Tél. : 00[32]81.83 42 63 et 00[32]473.93 46 57

Fax : 00[32]81.83 52 63

Courriel : edition@intercommunications.be

Site : www.intercommunications.be

Pour en savoir plus

Culture and Religion: An Interdisciplinary Journal Volume 13, Issue 4, 2012

https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rcar20/13/4

Special Issue

Believing in the City:

Urban Cultures, Religion and (Im)Materiality

David Garbin (University of Kent):

‘Introduction: Believing in the city’. Pages 401-404.

Paul-Francois Tremlett (Open University):

Two shock doctrines: From Christo-disciplinary to neoliberal urbanisms in the Philippines’. Pages 405-423.

David Garbin (University of Kent):

‘Marching for God in the global city: Public space, religion and diasporic identities in a transnational African church’. Pages 425-447.

Ann R. David (University of Roehampton, London):

‘Sacralising the city: Sound, space and performance in Hindu ritual practices in London’. Pages 449-467.

John Eade (UCL/University of Roehampton, London):

‘Religion, home-making and migration across a globalising city:

Responding to mobility in London’. Pages 469-483.

Grace Davie (University of Exeter):

‘A short afterword: Thinking spatially about religion’. Pages 485-489.

_______________________________________________

The Production and Consumption of the Pilgrimage Tourism Experience, ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage SIG

Call for Papers

ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage SIG 5th Expert Conference, 26th-28th June 2013, Malta “The Production and Consumption of the Pilgrimage Tourism Experience”

The ATLAS Religious Tourism Special Interest Group has been invited by the Institution of Tourism Studies , Malta, through its Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies, to organise the above conference. The aim of the conference is to provide both empirical and personal insights into the changing nature of religion in society and to further the debate for both policy-makers and academics to consider these evolving challenges within the future development of faith tourism and pilgrimage.

Deadlines:

Because attendance is generously supported by the local sponsors, numbers are limited. It is envisaged that there will be in the region of

20-25 papers presented with the main emphasis for acceptance being based on adherence to the main theme:

“The Production and Consumption of the Pilgrimage Tourism Experience”

Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be submitted electronically to the organizing committee by 31 January 2013. If you are interested in being invited to attend, or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact the following: Vincent Zammit vincent.zammit@gov.mt Dr. Kevin Griffin kevin.griffin@dit.ie Dr. Razaq Raj R.Raj@leedsmet.ac.uk Prof. Carlos Fernandes cfernandes@estg.ipvc.pt

Publication: This Research Group has a good track-record of publishing papers. To date we have produced 3 special publication volumes in international journals and two ATLAS Books. A number of journals have tentatively expressed interest in the proceedings of this workshop, and the particular focus will be decided once the specific direction of the papers is established. Close adherence to the conference theme will give authors a better chance of being published.

Important Dates:

31.01.13 Abstract Submission Deadline

28.02.13 Notification of Acceptance to Authors

30.04.13 Submit full paper

26-28.06.13 Expert Meeting

Scientific Committee Alan Clarke, University of Pannonia, Hungary Jonathan Edwards, Bournemouth University, UK Carlos Fernandes, Polytechnic of Viana do Castelo, Portugal Kevin Griffin, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland Maureen Griffiths, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Frances McGettigan, Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland Nigel Morpeth, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK Razaq Raj, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK Roger Vaughan, Bournemouth University, UK Vincent Zammit, Institute of Tourism Studies , Malta

Cost: There is no fee for those who are selected to present papers.

Costs will be kept to an absolute minimum circa €150 to cover accommodation (3 nights) and lunch. Subject to demand, there may be a minor fee for those who wish to attend and not present a paper.

Background to Malta

Malta is a Mediterranean Island with remains going back millennia to prehistoric times. UNESCO has placed six of the above ground prehistoric temples on the World Heritage List, some of which are thought to be the oldest free standing buildings in the world. The providential arrival of the Apostle St Paul around 60 AD, introduced Christianity to Malta, and was to help Malta become known as the island of Paul. The attractions of these sites, and the visits paid by visitors throughout time, have led some to describe Malta as the Central Mediterranean holy island. The Knights of the Order of St John tried their best to increase this religious interest in Malta, as they tried to create a pilgrimage route to Malta, by supporting the creation of the cult of St Paul. Today, there are many sites, traditions and legends that are connected with this cult.

The Maltese islands were home to the Religious Military Order of St John (now better known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta) from 1530 to 1798, and this led to an increase in religious manifestations, especially during the Baroque period. Today, the many parish churches are lavishly decorated, well kept, and a good portion of parishioners are highly involved in the organisation of the annual feast to their patron saint.

The islands of Malta are a veritable showcase of religious traditions.

Visit the following sites for further information:

The official website of the Malta Tourism Authority:

https://www.new.visitmalta.com/

The website of the Institution of Tourism Studies: https://www.its.edu.mt/

Location of Workshop:

The Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies was set up to organise talks, exhibitions and other cultural related activities for tourism students as well as for the general public. The Centre forms part of the Institute of Tourism Studies, the only post-secondary Institution in Malta that prepares

the future workforce for the important Tourism industry in Malta. During its brief time since established, the Centre has organised art exhibitions, public talks, thematic cultural walks, and has hosted foreign experts to give talks to students and academic staff as well as the general public.

The workshop will be held on the premises of the Institute, at St George’s Bay, St Julians where all the lecture rooms are well equipped.

Access / Transfers:

Malta is well connected by air from all the major airports of Europe.

Many budget airlines fly to Malta, while all the major airlines provide scheduled flights to the island.

Accommodation Details:

Accommodation is being offered to delegates at a Franciscan run retreat house, close to the ITS. Alternative accommodation can also be organised on request.

Please contact the organising committee for any further details.

_______________________________________________