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Call for Papers "Religion and World Order" St Antony's International Review (STAIR) Forthcoming Issue __________________________________________________ Although religion has for decades been marginal to the study of international affairs, it is forcefully reasserting itself upon the consciousness of scholars and world leaders. Continuing global integration in economics, politics, and society creates new opportunities for religious ideas and communities to proliferate and engagein both peace and war. >>From the war on terror to domestic crises in Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and Israel, religion features as a security liability. In the field of social welfare and development, religious communities employ innovative and humane strategies for promoting peace, relieving poverty and building human capacity. However, while religion is back on the agenda, it is less clear how we should study it and to what extent it contributes to processes of disintegration and integration in world order. For these reasons, the St Antonys International Review (STAIR) invites academics, young researchers, and policy experts to submit abstracts of papers that explore one or more of the following lines of enquiry for its forthcoming issue on Religion and World Order. Methodology: Studying Religion in International Affairs Religion, it is now commonly said, has returned to the academic study ofpolitics and international relations. Confusion remains, however, about how religion should be studied in this context. Should we concentrate on religious ideas, actors, institutions or traditions? How autonomous, if at all, is religion from other factors such as the national context and material interests? By what standardswhether normative, ethical, or empiricalare we to assess the impact of religious communities and teachings on international affairs? Can social science methodologies that valorise materialist explanations help scholars to respond to pressing questions about religion and world order? What contributions can the history, teachings, and philosophies of world religions make to the study of international affairs? Disintegration: Extremism and Violence Although most religions share an aspiration for peace and justice, religion is implicated in the majority of the worlds civil conflicts. Whether as the rhetorical instrument of the state or as an ideology of resistance against the state, religious extremism justifies violence across the globe. How do these religious fault lines emerge? Are religious traditions incommensurable, or are we witnessing the creation of new forms of religious extremism? Is modernity a bulwark against religious conflict, or an underlying cause? As patterns of community and sources of authority, ancient religions adapt and transform in response to contemporary challenges. What are these challenges and adaptations, particularly in terms of the construction and contestation of identity, and what are the hopes of peace? Integration: Belonging and Community While religion has a deeply spiritual and mystical dimension, it also promotes distinctive patterns of community life. Religious communities assume identities that may be cosmopolitan, parochial, or strictly nationaleach with diverse conceptualisations of how space is made sacred. How do religious communities and states negotiate religious pluralism and how can religious traditions foster integration in pluralist societies? With increasing global mobility, how do migrant believers adapt or sustain their religious practices in secular societies? What is the condition of religious minorities in theocratic or autocratic states? How is religion used to support nationalism or envision cosmopolitanism? How does religiously inspired action promote democratisation processes? What are appropriate roles for religion in international development? How might religion contribute to diplomacy? What are the promises, pitfalls, and results of inter-faith dialogue? Abstracts due April 30, 2007 Papers due August 31, 2007 St Antony's International Review (STAIR) is a peer-reviewed, academic journal established by graduate members of St Antony's College at the University of Oxford. It is published bi-annually and features articles on international affairs. The central aim of STAIR is to reflect the cross-disciplinary dialogue on global issues of contemporary relevance that is a unique feature of life at St Antony's. In recreating the College ethos of open, accessible and engaged debate, STAIR seeks to develop a forum in which emerging scholars can publish their work alongside established academics and policymakers. By drawing on the wide range of disciplinary perspectives and intellectual resources of St Antony's, we are keen to further raise the international profile of the College and strengthen the link between alumni and current members. Guidelines for manuscript preparation are contained in the Notes for Contributors, available at: http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/STAIR Contact: St Antony's International Review St Antony's College University of Oxford Oxford, OX2 6JF UK Fax: +44 (0)1865 554465 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/STAIR/ __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org
