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Call for Papers Theme: Rethinking Religion in India Subtitle: Secularism, Religion and Law Type: 4th International Conference Institution: Karnataka State Law University Research Centre Vergelijkende Cultuurwetenschap and India Platform UGent, Ghent University Centre for the Study of Local Cultures, Kuvempu University Academy for Social Sciences and Humanities Karnataka Location: Hubli (India) Date: 24.–27.11.2012 Deadline: 15.8.2012 __________________________________________________ India is home to hundreds of different traditions and virtually all the religions of the contemporary world. The interaction and dialogue among them has produced highly creative cultural forms and ways of living together. Yet, increasingly, scholars have begun to feel that the current knowledge about the Indian culture and its traditions is unsatisfactory at best or erroneous at worst. In the current theoretical paradigm, Indian traditions are conceived of in terms of their respective beliefs, doctrines, holy texts, religious strife, etc. This does not appear to allow for an adequate understanding of the Indian traditions. Not only does this framework determine our understanding of the religions in India, but it also has consequences for the Indians, experiencing their own traditions. The conference will explore one central question: Is it possible to say that the descriptions of the Indian culture and its traditions are the products of the Western experience of India? In the domain of religious studies, in postcolonial studies and in the field of comparative science of cultures, scholars have begun to argue that the questions and conceptual framework for the study of India and its religions are firmly embedded within the Western cultural history, namely within the theological framework of Christianity. How true is this? If true, what are the possible alternatives? This concern will be addressed by an elaboration of the following themes: 1. Reconceptualising Religion in India 2. Colonialism and Religion in India 3. Evolutionary Explanations of Religion 4. Indian Religion and the Aryan Immigration 5. Inter-religious Dialogue 6. Religious Conversion in India 7. Secularism and Tolerance in India 8. Western Representations of India 9. The Caste System and Indian Religion 10. Religious Pluralism and Rivalry in India To achieve the overall objective of developing a new paradigm for the study of religion in India, a conference format with distinct conference modules and recurring conference themes will be adopted. Each module will approach the ten themes and questions from different angles: (1) Platform Sessions; (2) Roundtable Sessions; (3) Parallel Paper Sessions; (4) "How to...?" Workshops. The deadline for submission of abstracts and proposals is 15 August 2012. For more information on the conference, please visit the website: http://www.rethinkingreligion.org Contact: Marianne Keppens Research Centre Vergelijkende Cultuurwetenschap Ghent University Complex Rommelaere Apotheekstraat 5 B-9000 Ghent Belgium Phone: +32 (0)9 2649370 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.rethinkingreligion.org __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org __________________________________________________
