__________________________________________________
Call for Applications Theme: Religion and Secularism in Modern Democracies Type: International Interdisciplinary Summer School 2013 Institution: Forum Scientiarum, University of Tübingen Location: Tübingen (Germany) Date: 3.–7.6.2013 Deadline: 20.2.2013 __________________________________________________ Topic In this summer school this year’s guest to the Unseld Lectures, Charles Taylor, will discuss the place taken by religion, and often by the associated culture, in defining the political identity of modern democracies. According to Taylor, we used to live in societies whose political organizations were “guaranteed by some faith in, or adherence to God, or some notion of ultimate reality” (A secular age 2007, p.1). Accordingly, he argues that society as a whole imagined itself to constitute a corporate religious body under moral norms ordained by God; religious belief has had a great impact on all different spheres of private as well as public life. Consequently, politics and religion were highly related to one another. In Taylor’s narrative the story begins in the Middle Ages in an enchanted world. With the Enlightenment between the sixteenth and nineteenth century, along with the rise of modern science and the modern state, however, sacred meanings are no longer expressed directly in the universe around us. Taylor thinks that this Weberian “disenchantment” initiated a process of secularization. Secularism, in this understanding, describes the modern autonomous differentiation of the secular and the religious sphere leading to the eventual separation of church and state. However, Taylor rejects the view that secularization necessarily is followed by a progressive decline and eventual disappearance of religion. Thus, he does not conceive secularist regimes as “bulwarks against religion” (The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere 2011, p.56), but rather as a consequence of the irreversible and growing internal diversity of modern societies. In his recent publications Taylor, thus, reflects the state’s relationship to religious diversity. In his opinion, in many Western societies we presently are faced with a plurality of incompatible and irreconcilable values, beliefs and worldviews of citizens. Nevertheless, these different beliefs express themselves in public. Therefore, Taylor ponders on the tensions between private religious thinking and the political impact of religion in civil society and asks how our religious beliefs interact with our political structures. As Taylor observes that many liberal democratic polities are grappling with these questions, his aim is to provide "an adequate conceptual analysis of the constitutive principles of secularism" (Secularism and Freedom of Conscience 2011, p.3). In his account, these principles are respect for the moral equality of persons on the one hand, and the protection of freedom of conscience and religion on the other. The operative modes of these two principles are the separation of church and state, and state neutrality towards religious beliefs and other matters of conscience. Further, he argues that there is a need to balance freedom of conscience and respect of moral equality. The need to find such a balance is particularly obvious with regard to minorities since their religious practices in some cases have been taken to violate secular norms and institutional arrangements. Taylor also reminds us of the role religion plays to provide values delineating national identity. He stresses the continuing importance which religious markers play for the constitution of ethnic and historical identities – particularly in those societies that are forced to defend their integrity against external oppression. In some cases religious and national value systems can not be separated completely. Instead, existing religious symbols are often given a secular interpretation. - Taking its cues from Charles Taylor’s meditations on secularism, the summer school will primarily focus on following questions: Which is the place of religion in modern societies? What deserves to be called a secularist regime in contemporary democracies? - May secularism be seen as a response to this diversity, not just of religious positions, but of nonreligious positions as well? How to distinct, if at all possible, religion and culture adequately? - In which manner do secular regimes react to tensions between the religious and the political sphere, and which of these manners are democracy-friendly? Program The interdisciplinary summer school will take place at the Forum Scientiarum of Tuebingen University, from June 3rd - June 7th, 2013. During the summer school twenty graduate students and junior scientists from all over the world will have the opportunity to discourse Taylor´s ideas and concepts with him and the group as well as to discuss their own projects: in the mornings selected participants will present their own contributions to the topic to the plenum; the afternoon sessions will be led by Charles Taylor and dedicated to his academic work. The participants will also attend the Unseld Lecture, held by Charles Taylor, and an interdisciplinary colloquium, both open to the public. Application procedure To apply for the international summer school, applicants have to send in a completed application form downloadable from this website (see right column), including a CV according to usual standards. Additionally, each applicant is required to submit an essay of up to 1000 words. For those interested in presenting their own work, this essay should outline the project or case study to be introduced during the summer school. Prospects who want to participate without any personal presentation, this essay should delineate their specific motivations for the summer school’s topic. Deadline for the receipt of complete applications (application form, CV, essay) is February 20th, 2013. A letter of admission will reach successful applicants by March 15th. There is no program fee. The Forum Scientiarum seeks to facilitate the participation of competent students from all over the world – limited financial resources should not affect your decision to apply. The Forum Scientiarum is provided a limited fund by the Udo Keller Foundation Forum Humanum, one of our supporting institutions, for covering part of travel expenses. These can be applied for by the applicants, but only selected participants with little or no funding from other institutions may be granted partial funding. More information will be provided upon acceptance. Albeit, each participant (excluding participants residing in the area of Tübingen) will be granted a fixed amount of 100 Euro for financial support for overnight costs, meals, etc. Moreover, the Forum Scientiarum will assist participants in finding inexpensive accommodation. Applications should be sent to [email protected] or to our postal address: Forum Scientiarum Doblerstr. 33 D-72074 Tübingen Germany We ask applicants to subscribe to a mailing list for further updates on this event. For subscription, simply send an e-mail to [email protected] including the name of your university. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail or consult our website: http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/en/facilities/zentrale-einrichtungen/forum-scientiarum/events/unseld-lectures/2013/summerschool.html Contact: Forum Scientiarum University of Tübingen Doblerstr. 33 D-72074 Tübingen Germany Tel: +49 (0)7071 40716-0 Fax: +49 (0)7071 40716-20 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/en/facilities/zentrale-einrichtungen/forum-scientiarum/events/unseld-lectures/2013/summerschool.html __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org __________________________________________________
