Call for Papers: 3rd Forum of Sociology

RC-22 Call for Papers
“Religion, Secularity and Post-Secularity:
Crafting Meaningful Futures”

The Third ISA Forum of Sociology
“The Futures We Want: Global Sociology
and the Struggles for a Better World’’
to be held in Vienna, 10-14 July, 2016.

Programme Co-ordinator: Vineeta Sinha
(University of Singapore: socvs@nus.edu.sg)
Assisted by Olga Breskaya
(European Humanities University, Luthuania:
olga.breskaya@ehu.lt)

PROGRAM THEME: The world’s current socio-economic and political turmoil has a profound impact on religious expressions, sensibilities and worldviews. Religious expressions and worldviews also affect the surrounding socio-economic and political spheres. Such dramatic changes produce disquiet, tumult and agitation but also open opportunities to question the status and create novel social possibilities.
Sociologists of religion face a number of challenges in understanding these interactions. Among these is the need to develop new theoretical and empirical approaches to our subject. Sociologists have long argued about the continuing place and value of religions in a secularizing and globalizing world . Although the notion of ‘post-secularity’ is hardly new, it has recently emerged forcefully (and somewhat fashionably) in attempts to theorise the visibility and relevance of religiosity in the world today.

CALL FOR PAPERS: We are seeking papers for the following sessions, listed with the organizer’s name(s). Descriptions can be found at https://www.isa-sociology.org/forum-2016/rc/rc.php?n=RC22 :

  1. The Categories of Religion and the Secular in the Post-Secular Discourse (Mitsutoshi Horii)
  2. Negotiating Religion and Citizenship in Global Context (Olga Breskaya)
  3. Religion in the Public Sphere (Enzo Pace and Orivaldo Lopes)
  4. Welfare and Civil Society: The Role of Religion (Per Pettersson)
  5. The Politics of Religious Heritage: Memory, Identity and Place (Mar Griera)
  6. From New Age and Spiritualities to Different World Views: Individualized Religious Beliefs, Autonomy Values and Individualized Morality (Tilo Beckers and Pascal Siegers)
  7. Religion, Gender, and the Internet (Anna Halafoff and Emma Tomalin)
  8. Topics and Forms of Religious Mobilization in Europe (Sinisa Zrinscak)
  9. Religious Trends Among Second Generations in Europe​ (Roberta Ricucci)
  10. Religious Radicalization (Inger Furseth)
  11. Religious Engagement and Spiritual Empowerment in Asian Countries: Quest for Human Security and Self-Fulfilment (Yoshihide Sakurai)
  12. Studying the African Diaspora Significance for Struggles Toward a Better World (Jualynne Dodson)
  13. World Religions and Axial Civilizations (Steven Kalberg & Said Arjomand)
  14. Religion, Plus and Minus: Human Rights; Inter-Religious Understanding; Peace and Violence. (NOTE: this will be three sessions, but the CONFEX computer system forces us to treat them as one session for now. Please specify the session in which you wish your paper to appear.)
    • ​Religion and Human Rights (no organizer as yet)
    • How to Build Better Understanding among Religions (Miroljub Jevtik)​
    • Religion, Peace, and Violence (Mohammad Ashphaq)
  15. Two sessions co-sponsored by with RC54: The Body in the Social Sciences (organized by Bianca Maria Pirani):
    • Rhythms and Ritual
    • Body and Synchrony in the Storytelling Era

HOW TO PROPOSE A PAPER: Starting 14 April, 2015, you can submit your proposals online at the International Sociological Association’s website. Paper submissions close on 30 September.

  • Read the session descriptions and click the “Online Submissions” link at https://www.isa-sociology.org/forum-2016/rc/rc.php?n=RC22
  • Paper proposals must be in English, French, or Spanish.
  • Please also note that you must become an RC22 member to have your paper proposal accepted; you can join the Research Committee through the ISA website at https://www.isa-sociology.org/memb_i/index.htm
  • In order to be included in the programme, all participants (presenters, chairs, discussants, etc.) must join the ISA and register for the Forum by the early registration deadline of 1 April, 2016. Without early registration and membership, presenters, chairs, etc. will not appear in the Programme Book or in the Abstracts Book.

IN ADDITION we will have:

  • A Distinguished Lecture
  • A Presidential Session on the topic: “Where Do We Go from Here? an Agenda for the Sociology of Religion”
  • A Business Meeting / Reception / Party for RC-22 members and friends.
    (Who says sociologists can’t have fun?)