RC43 and RC14 Joint Workshop: The Nation as a Sacred Communion? Religion, Legacies and Conflict

The late Anthony D. Smith once suggested that the ‘nation’ was a ‘sacred communion of the people' (A.D. Smith 2003). This workshop, held in the year of the centenary of the establishment of the Irish Free State and the 75th anniversary of the Partition of South Asia against the background of the unfolding conflict in Ukraine, seeks to examine the role played by the reference to community with shared religious heritage and beliefs in preparing the grounds for intergroup conflict. We invite contributions engaging with references to religious symbolism, heritage and legacies as mechanisms for political mobilisation. Proposals for papers should include contact details of the author(s), title and an abstract of no more than 200 words. We also welcome panel proposals of a minimum of three papers and a maximum of four.

The final deadline for the electronic submission of paper and panel proposals is 15 February 2023. Notices of acceptance will be sent out the week of 27 February 2023. Proposals should be submitted online at: https://form.jotform.com/220863996860369

The organizers will endeavour to hold event in person, with opportunity to join online; for those travelling to Belfast, we will aim to support a select pool of graduate students/early career academics with a bursary to partially cover travel expenses. The decision on the pool of recipients will be made at the time of paper selection.

Venue:  Queens' University Belfast, UK (Hybrid Workshop)

Dates: 31 May (virtual); 1-2 June (in person), 2023

Co-Sponsors: RC43 Religion and Politics, RC 14 Politics and Ethnicity, IPSA

Co-Convenors: Prof. Giorgio Shani (RC43), Dr. Timofey Agarin (RC14)

URL: https://sites.google.com/view/ipsarc14/events/belfast-2022