CfP: The Working Group on Religion in the Black Sea Region, 6th Annual Conference

Deborah Jones Discussion

Call for Papers
The Working Group on Religion in the Black Sea Region 
Sixth Annual Conference

State, Church and Power: 
Religion and Politics in the Black Sea Region

19 - 21 September 2019 
Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv, Ukraine 

Research on religious expression and practice in Eastern Europe reflects the internal complexity and dynamics of religiosity in a region that has constantly faced political challenges. The end of the communist era in Eastern Europe led to new forms of politicization of religion, especially when newly independent states sought to consolidate their legitimacy by integrating religion into national / nationalistic versions of history. Many state and social actors in this post-imperial frontier region embrace religion as a vital element of their national belonging and political strategies. Drastic differences in state engagement with religious institutions can be found within this post-colonial, post-socialist, post-Soviet frontier region. The involvement of religion and religiosity in political, social and economic life has led to blended religious forms and rites, contested and shared sacred sites, and a wide spectrum of sects, cults and other millenarian movements, all of which make balancing religious pluralism a challenge in the region.  
This conference invites us to think about the forms of state interaction with religious communities; how religious organizations accumulate power within secular state systems; and the place of religiosity in politics and the politicization of religion. We especially encourage research that engages the theme of sacred spaces and utilizes ethnographic methods to study the dynamics of religious encounters, belonging, pluralism, and extra-institutional lived religious practices in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region, including the Caucasus. We welcome proposals from anthropology, history, religious studies, and sociology that use a variety of methods and innovative styles of argumentation. 
Topics include, but are not limited to, how state, political systems and actors together with religious communities negotiate the blending/boundary maintenance of religious, social and ethnic identities; representations of history/memory in local communities; accommodating/challenging pluralism and reform in Orthodox societies; (post)secularism; doubt, indifference, vernacular religion; religiosity as a creator of place and feelings of belonging; contested or shared material manifestations of religiosity in borderland regions; and religion as a factor in conflict resolution/stimulation. 
Confirmed Speakers: 
• Alexander Agadjanian, Professor of Religious Studies, Russian State Humanities University
• José Casanova, Professor of Sociology and Theology and Senior Fellow, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, Georgetown University
• Regina Elsner, Research Fellow, Centre for East European and International Studies 
(ZOiS), Berlin

• Myroslav Marynovych, Vice-Rector of Ukrainian Catholic University, co-founder of Amnesty International Ukraine, and founding member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group

• Catherine Wanner, Professor of History, Anthropology and Religious Studies, The Pennsylvania State University

Format: Each presentation will be 20 minutes long, followed by commentary from a discussant, and open discussion.  The working language is English.

Logistics: The costs of travel to Lviv and three nights of accommodation will be provided.  

Proposals: Please submit a brief CV (max. 3 pages) and a 300-word proposal to: soc.injener@gmail.com by 10 April 2019. Notification of acceptance will be given by 30 April 2019.