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Dear friends and colleagues,

While our colloquium is taking a short break, we are happy to announce the next event in our lecture series on “Material Secularities” this Thursday.

We also have two new publications by KFG members for you, as well as a recommendation for a discussion with KFG participation and a Call for Papers.

Enjoy and have a good week!

Anja

Public Lecture: Yee Lak Elliot Lee on “Mosque Properties and Muslim Graveyards in the Pearl River Delta: Appropriated Physical Space”, 30 June

As part of the seminar and lecture series “Material Secularities: Interdisciplinary Perspectives”, Yee Lak Elliot Lee will give a talk on “Mosque Properties and Muslim Graveyards in the Pearl River Delta: Appropriated Physical Space” on 30 June. In this lecture, he approaches the question of religion and space from the meso-level of the tangible recreation of social space. By looking into the historical upkeeping of mosque properties and Muslim cemeteries in the city of Guangzhou, Elliot invites the audience to consider the different strategies of spatial appropriation employed by Hui (Sinophone) Muslims in the urban social landscape.

The lecture series is organised by our Senior Researchers Magnus Echtler and Nur Yasemin Ural together with our Senior Research Fellow Katharina Wilkens. It is open to all interested parties.

30 June | 5–7 p.m. (CET)

Leipzig University | Seminar building, Room S 403 and online via zoom

Discussion with Hubert Seiwert on his article “Theory of Religion and Historical Research. A Critical Realist Perspective on the Study of Religion as an Empirical Discipline”, 6 July

In November 2020, our Permanent Senior Research Fellow Hubert Seiwert published an article on “Theory of Religion and Historical Research. A Critical Realist Perspective on the Study of Religion as an Empirical Discipline”. His article evoked various reactions, both affirmative and critical. In a later issue, five responses addressed some important aspects of that engagement with the article, and Hubert added a concluding response to his critics.

Now the article will again be the occasion for a discussion with the author, this time at the Institute for the Study of Religions at Leipzig University. The session is part of the master seminar “Materialist and Constructivist Approaches in the Study of Religion”, co-taught by Elliot Lee and our Associate Member Markus Dreßler.

6 July | 5.15–6.45 p.m. (CET)

Leipzig University | Institute for the Study of Religions, Schillerstraße 6, Room M 102

Call for Papers: International Conference on “Nature Religions, Science and Technology”, University of Groningen, 22–23 September

We would like to point to this Call for Papers for a conference on “Nature Religions, Science and Technology”, co-organised by the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Groningen and The Institute for Philosophical Studies, Science and Research Centre of Koper/Slovenia, taking place 22–23 September.

This conference seeks to strengthen neglected areas in the interdisciplinary field of religion, science, and technology by introducing original research on the approaches to science and technology in, or related to, pantheism, animism and paganism—especially (but not exclusively) in their ‘Western’ forms. Papers focusing on philosophical, theological and religious studies perspectives (sociology of religion, anthropology of religion, history of ideas, and others) are also welcome.

The deadline to apply to present at the conference with paper titles and abstracts (max. 300 words) is 5 August. Abstracts and questions can be addressed to the members of the organising committee, Gorazd Andrejč and Victoria Dos Santos.

Deadline for abstract submission: 5 August

Notification of acceptance: 12 August

Conference dates: 22–23 September

If you have any content that you think suits the purpose of the weekly, please feel free to send it to us at multiple-secularities@uni-leipzig.de.