GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON RELIGIONS STUDIES

Religions can promote peace, or they can create or exacerbate violence. Religions can generate and bolster a sense of national identity; equally, many religions foster a sense of transnational allegiance and identification. Religion can act to legitimate state authority and the status quo; equally, religion can provide the impetus for revolutionary change sought by marginalized and oppressed communities. Students will encounter questions regarding the role of religion in modern, secular states: the location of religion as either deeply private and personal or as a powerful actor in the public sphere.

“Global Religions: Identity and Community” focuses on the role that religious traditions continue to play in the global context – often in tension with the process of secularization. We theorize religion (singular) as a human phenomenon and generate knowledge of religions (plural) in their historical development and global spread. Religions are, arguably, the oldest of transnational institutions. Among our aims is the production of “religious literacy” – a knowledge of the fundamental beliefs, practices, and social formations of the multifarious religious traditions on our planet. This literacy is crucial to understanding the role that religious thought and commitment exercise in influencing, or even shaping, phenomena such as politics, international conflict, gender roles, and economic activity. Religions, for instance, lie behind worldviews that shape environmental behavior and ethics. Indeed, religion has long served to articulate ultimate values and as a resource for the development of ethical traditions in general.

Students will learn to think about the complex ways in which religion informs identities and the construction of communities. While world religions programs often study particular traditions in separate civilizational or geographical containers, our specialization encourages students to think about how various religious traditions have been informed by cross-cultural encounter. Colonialism, mission, migration, and diasporic populations mean that religions transcend geographical and national boundaries. Further, religion is inextricably connected to culture and so an education in the history of religions also generates knowledge of world art, music, and literature. Communication technologies and migration mean that these cultural expressions are now transnational.

Religion courses may include site visits in Ottawa and religion travel courses offer international exposure. Students in the specialization will develop a nuanced understanding of the tensions and dynamics of a diverse and multi-religious society and important skills in intercultural competency. This provides a foundation for graduate work in Religious Studies and a broad range of governmental and non-governmental settings that deal with the problems of pluralism, rights, conflict, and multiculturalism.

Drawing on internationally well-established research environments based in the fields of Anthropology, Global Studies, and the Study of Religion, a particular strength of the PhD programme is interdisciplinarity. Strong research environments dedicated to exploring and integrating methods from beyond the Humanities, e.g. in the study of culture, cognition and religion as well as in human security and international development, offer students unique opportunities for the pursuit of new directions in and across the associated disciplines. At the same time, strong individual research environments ensure disciplinary training at the highest levels.

The programme draws on well-established research and teaching in European and Asian Studies, the Middle East, Africa, and the circumpolar regions. Collaborations with institutions in the respective regions and with leading universities in Australia, across Europe and North America provide extensive opportunities for international research and training.

Current core research areas include: ethnographic methods; experimental anthropology; visual anthropology; welfare, children and youth; democracy, globalization and transnational mobility; contemporary religion and contemplative traditions; history of religions; cognitive science of religion; gender and politics; human security and post-conflict studies.

Theoretical interests are founded on a combination of solid social and human science theories, and range from phenomenology, post-structuralism and grounded theory over various comparative, sociological and historically-based approaches to cognitive science.

All B-level courses of the study programmer will be available in English. The programmer is affiliated with the national PhD education networks for Anthropology, International Area Studies and the Study of Religion.

Benefits of Attendance

Global Conference Alliance Inc offers distinct advantages to those attending our international conferences. Here are some of the exceptional benefits we extend to our participants:

Opportunity for Publication: The authors who submit their papers to Global Conference Alliance Inc can take advantage of a chance to publish their papers in our online conference proceedings.

Abstract Proceedings: Abstract proceedings of all conferences will be available online and published on our website, providing researchers and industry experts an excellent opportunity to share their work with a broader audience.

Conference Bag and Accessories: Every conference attendee will receive a conference bag and accessories, including vital conference materials such as a conference program, pen, and notepad.

Networking Opportunity: Our conferences offer a unique chance to interact with members from various disciplines, inside and outside one’s field, allowing attendees to establish valuable connections with industry experts and researchers.

Diversity of Participants: The participant pool boasts a diverse range of individuals from over 40+ countries worldwide, such as the USA, Australia, Poland, India, Canada, Turkey, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Algeria, Sudan, Japan, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Germany, the UAE, and the UK.

Technical Sessions: Attendees can engage in a wide range of technical sessions that offer valuable insights into diverse fields, enabling them to acquire invaluable knowledge from experts and authors. Plus, the attendees who join as authors can share their research and findings among the attendees to spread their knowledge.

Best Paper and Presentation Awards: A special recognition and additional certificates will be awarded for the best paper and presentation, which will be announced at the conference closing session.

Additionally, the Best Paper Award recipient will be presented with an official award certificate, signed and stamped, and their achievement will be announced on our website.

Photo Session: A photo session will be organized during the conference, allowing attendees to capture memories with fellow conference-goers.

City tour (Optional): Conference attendees can explore the host city through organized city tours, providing an opportunity to learn about the local culture and history (the fee is not included in the ticket price)

At Global Conference Alliance Inc, attending our conferences is an investment in one’s personal and professional development. We invite you to join us to gain new insights, establish valuable connections, and broaden your knowledge.