{"id":403,"date":"2017-04-21T15:11:27","date_gmt":"2017-04-21T15:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/?page_id=403"},"modified":"2018-02-20T18:42:27","modified_gmt":"2018-02-20T18:42:27","slug":"page_id403","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/?page_id=403","title":{"rendered":"Contemporary Religion in Historical Perspective: Publics and Performances"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Kents Hill, Milton Keynes | February 19-21, 2018<\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">#OURS2018<\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Themes<\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0<\/strong><em>Education, Media, Pilgrimage, Politics, Ritual, Spirituality<\/em><\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>At a time when the public role of the University is under increasing scrutiny, how can we ensure that research and teaching about religions reaches new publics? What can we do to enhance religious literacy both within and beyond religious and non-religious communities? How is ritual and performance involved in communication between religious communities, the academy, policy makers and the broader public? Are there ways in which we can learn from the past in better understanding such channels of communication?<\/p>\n<p>Bringing historical perspective to the contemporary role of religion in the public sphere, this conference will include contributions from practitioners and third-sector organisations, who bring their perspectives to the academy to consider the public impact of Religious Studies.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.socialmediawall.io\/wall\/19190\/\" width=\"900px\" height=\"700px\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Keynote Speakers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/BETTINA-1.jpg\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-616 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/BETTINA-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"145\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a>Bettina Schmidt, (<\/em>University of Wales Trinity Saint David)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The contentious field of the study of religious experience: The challenging influence of Rudolf Otto, Andrew Lang and other founding fathers<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>(Mon 19th, 14:00)<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DSCF2734-1.jpg\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-576 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DSCF2734-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"145\" height=\"139\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Stephen Sutcliffe (University of Edinburgh)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Explaining the Economy of New Spiritualities with the Help of Bourdieu<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>(Tues 20th, 16:30)<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dur.ac.uk\/images\/History\/StaffPics2013\/PhilipWilliamson.png\" width=\"137\" height=\"137\" \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Philip Williamson (Durham University)<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>Remembrance day: the British churches and national commemoration of the war dead since 1914<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>(Wed 21st, 11:30)<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Submissions are now closed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For any enquiries, please contact the Conference Organisers Paul-Fran\u00e7ois Tremlett and David G. Robertson on\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:ours@open.ac.uk\">ours@open.ac.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/OU-RS-schedule-FINAL.pdf\" >Download draft schedule in pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/?page_id=636\" >Abstract book available here<\/a><\/p>\n<h1>TIMETABLE<\/h1>\n<h3>MON 19<sup>th<\/sup><\/h3>\n<p>12:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Registration opens<br \/>\n13:30\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Welcome | John Wolffe (Associate Dean [Research Scholarship and\u00a0Enterprise], FASS) &amp; Paul-Fran\u00e7ois Tremlett (HoD, Religious Studies)<\/p>\n<p>14:00\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Keynote 1 | Bettina Schmidt\u00a0<em>(Chaired by Paul-Fran\u00e7ois Tremlett)<\/em><br \/>\n15:30\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Coffee break<br \/>\n16:00-16:30\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Panels 1<br \/>\n18:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dinner<br \/>\n19:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Social time<\/p>\n<h3>TUES 20<sup>th<\/sup><\/h3>\n<p>9:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Panels 2<br \/>\n10:30\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Coffee break<br \/>\n11:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Panels 3<br \/>\n13:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lunch<br \/>\n14:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Panels 4<br \/>\n16:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Coffee<br \/>\n16:30-18:00\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Keynote 2 |\u00a0<em>Stephen Sutcliffe<\/em><br \/>\n19:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Conference dinner<\/p>\n<h3>WED 21<sup>st<\/sup><\/h3>\n<p>9:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Panels 5<br \/>\n11:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Coffee break<br \/>\n11:30\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keynote 3 | Philip Williamson<br \/>\n13:00\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Depart \/\u00a0Social Media Training Sessions (OU FASS delegates only &#8211; book your place here:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.co.uk\/e\/fass-social-media-training-day-tickets-41751399560\" onclick=\"javascript:urchinTracker ('\/outbound\/article\/www.eventbrite.co.uk');\">https:\/\/www.eventbrite.co.uk\/e\/fass-social-media-training-day-tickets-41751399560<\/a>)<\/p>\n<h1><\/h1>\n<h1>PANELS<\/h1>\n<p><strong>Session 1 \u2013 Mon 19<sup>th<\/sup>, 16:00<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>1.1 | CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITIES<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Theo Wildcroft<\/p>\n<p>The charismatic turn of the long 1960s: contexts and characteristics |\u00a0John Maiden, the Open University<\/p>\n<p>Michel de Certeau: The Practice of Mysticism in the Writing of Everyday Life |\u00a0Owen Coggins, the Open University<\/p>\n<p>Post-feminist but not Post-sexist: An examination of male Anglican clergy attitudes towards women | Alex D. J. Fry, Durham University<\/p>\n<h2>1.2 | PILGRIMAGE AND ENGLAND\u2019S CATHEDRALS, PAST AND PRESENT: EXPERIENCES, OUTCOMES AND IMPACT<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Marion Bowman<\/p>\n<p>From Archive to Digital Humanities: Modelling Canterbury and Durham Cathedrals | Dee Dyas, John Jenkins, University of York<\/p>\n<p>Cathedrals as shape shifters in the 21st century | Marion Bowman, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Now I have a word for it!\u2019: making an impact | Dee Dyas, University of York; Marion Bowman, The Open University<\/p>\n<h2>1.3 | RELOCATIONS: NRMS IN DIASPORA<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Aled Thomas<\/p>\n<p>Brazilian Neo-Gnostic Churches in the UK | David G. Robertson, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Madrid: The avoidance of the media as a ritual of reinforcement | Leonardo Vasconcelos de Castro Moreira, University of Warwick<\/p>\n<p>Rastafarianisms in Motion | Hilde Capparella, The Open University<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Session 2 \u2013 Tues 20<sup>th<\/sup>, 9:00<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>2.1 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN LAW AND RELIGION<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Hugh Mcfaul<\/p>\n<p>Inventing Traditional Religion | Hugh Mcfaul, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Freedom of Religion in the Human Rights Act 1998: the first twenty years | Simon Lee, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Current issues in law and religion | Jessica Giles, The Open University<\/p>\n<h2>2.2 | UNBELIEF, MAGIC, AND MODERNITY<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cA place beyond belief\u201d: unknowing and enchantment in Orkney | Richard Irvine, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Magic and unbelief: a Cyprus case study | Theodoros Kyriakides, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Practical magic: British paganism from religious affiliation toward popular enchantment | Jonathan Woolley, University of Cambridge<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>2.3 | EDUCATION<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Stefanie Sinclair<\/p>\n<p>Why Universities Must Be Secular Institutions (But Cannot Be): Religion as Everyday Practice and Object of Study in Higher Education |Clive Marsh, University of Leicester<\/p>\n<p>The Birmingham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education: promoting religious literacy in schools? | C\u00e9line Benoit, Aston University<\/p>\n<p>Are We Free Yet? The Continuing Non-Realisation of the Weberian Ideal | Jonathan Tuckett, University of Stirling<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>2.4 | MAKING CONNECTIONS<\/h2>\n<p>Panel chair: Marion Bowman<\/p>\n<p>Participants: Hilde Capparella, Alison Robertson, Aled Thomas, Sarah Thomas, Claire Wanless, Theo Wildcroft<\/p>\n<p>Part of the value of Religious Studies is the making of connections between different ways of thinking.\u00a0In this panel Open University PhD students will explore the connections\u00a0across apparently disparate areas, to create new insights. Each panel member will introduce a provocative,\u00a0thought-provoking or otherwise\u00a0interesting strand in their research and challenge other panel members to bring their own research into a conversation around that issue.<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Session 3 \u2013 Tues 20<sup>th<\/sup>, 11:00<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>3.1 | PILGRIMAGE IN THE CONTEMPORARY WEST<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Marion Bowman<\/p>\n<p>Celtic pilgrimage, past and present: from historical geography to contemporary embodied practices |\u00a0Avril Maddrell, University of Reading, &amp; Richard Scriven, National University of Ireland, Galway.<\/p>\n<p>Journey of the Space Butterflies: CoxCon 2017 as Pilgrimage | Vivian Asimos, Durham University<\/p>\n<p>Bringing the historical concept of pilgrimage as a search for spiritual healing into a contemporary space | Marlene Lorraine Martin, University of South Africa<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Thin Places\u2019 and Mystical Tours \u2013 Sacred Tourism in Ireland | Nadine Eckmann, University College Cork<\/p>\n<h2>3.2 | PRACTITIONER-ACADEMIC IDENTITIES: APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS<\/h2>\n<p>Graham Harvey, Susanne Newcombe, Alison Robertson, and Theo Wildcroft (all The Open University)<\/p>\n<p>The status of researcher as insider or outsider to the communities they study has long been of debate. Within long term ethnographic research into cultural practices, a world of nuance arises in the possible relationships of researcher and researched. We are engaged in complex processes of reconciliation between the under-represented communities whose stories we aim to tell (Shaw 1999: 108; Orsi 2013: 5), and the power an academic position confers to \u201cdefine reality for others\u201d (Hufford 1999: 298).<\/p>\n<p>Besides the issue of positionality, questions of communication, distinct embodied skillsets and more-than-human relationships are intimately involved in any ethnographic research endeavour. The resulting implications for the researcher are further complicated and enriched when the researcher is also a practitioner. Practitioner identities are in constant dialogue with academic identities.<\/p>\n<p>This panel aims to continue that dialogue, as four diverse practitioner-academics in round-table format discuss the applications and implications of their negotiations with positionality in the study of religion.<\/p>\n<h2>3.3 | INFORMATION AND RELIGION<\/h2>\n<p>The (Un)bearable Whiteness of Informationalist Religion | Syed Mustafa Ali, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Information &amp; religion: a three-fold taxonomy | David Chapman, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no God but Kek and Pepe is His Prophet\u201d: The Alt Right, Kekistan and the Utilization of the Islamicate |\u00a0Hizer Mir, University of Leeds<\/p>\n<p>Informing the sacred: an informational analysis of religious rituals | Magnus Ramage, The Open University<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Session 4 \u2013 Tues 20<sup>th<\/sup>, 14:00<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>3.1 | CREATIVE METHODS AND ENGAGING PUBLICS: SPIRITUALISM, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS.<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Marion Bowman<\/p>\n<p>Participants: Sara Mackian; Steve Pile; Nadia Bartolini; Amy Whitehead; Marion Bowman<\/p>\n<p>Spiritualism and its communities<\/p>\n<p>Exhibiting Spiritualism in Stoke-on-Trent in partnership with the Gladstone Museum<\/p>\n<p>Unplanned Exhibitions: what popped up.<\/p>\n<p>Mobile Methods and Adaptive Exhibits.<\/p>\n<h2>3.2 | THIRTY YEARS OF THE STUDY OF CONTROVERSIAL RELIGIONS<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: \u00a0Graham Harvey<\/p>\n<p>Changing contexts, changing cults \u2013 reflections on 30 years of Inform |\u00a0Suzanne Newcombe, Inform\/The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Perceptions of Paganism: 30 years from the Inform Archives | Sarah Harvey, Inform\/University of Kent<\/p>\n<p>Sex and British Muslims: 30 Years after the Rushdie Affair | Shanon Shah, Inform<\/p>\n<p>From Ayodhya to the electoral triumph of the BJP: scholarly responses to the rise of Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) | Gwilym Beckerlegge, The Open University<\/p>\n<h2>3.3 | \u201cRELIGION\u201d IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Claire Wanless<\/p>\n<p>Then and Now: Limitations on the Right to Manifest Religion or Belief in the Public Sphere |\u00a0Caroline K Roberts, University of Bristol<\/p>\n<p>Holy Disobedience: Political Resistance in the London Catholic Worker Community | Anna Blackman, Durham University<\/p>\n<p>An Occult Royal Wedding: Public State Ceremonies as Rituals of Civil Irreligion | Nick Toseland, Durham University<\/p>\n<p>Deathscapes and religious diversity in the UK: Negotiating mortuary rites in a minority context | Avril Maddrell (University of Reading), Katie McClymont (UWE), Yasminah Beebeejaun (UCL), Danny McNally (University of Reading), Brenda Mathijssen (University of Reading)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Session 5 \u2013 Wed 21<sup>st<\/sup>, 9:00<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>5.1 | INTERFAITH<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Alison Robertson<\/p>\n<p>Interfaith and Intercultural Spirituality in a Faith-Based Organisation |\u00a0Fiona Bowie, King\u2019s College London<\/p>\n<p>One Nation, Many Faiths: Representations of Banal Nationalism, Religious Pluralism and Public Space in Scottish Interfaith Literature |\u00a0Liam Sutherland, University of Edinburgh<\/p>\n<p>Spaces of Secular Faith? Shared assets and intangible values in diverse and changing communities |\u00a0Katie McClymont, UWE, Bristol<\/p>\n<p>Blowing the spirit. The tradition of brass band performances at funerals in Poland |\u00a0Maciej Kierzkowski, The Open University<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>5.2 | THEORY AND METHODS IN THE STUDY OF RELIGIONS: EXAMINING PRACTITIONERS IN THE FIELD<\/h2>\n<p>Chair: Marion Bowman<\/p>\n<p>Twenty years in Avalon: the advantages and downsides of longitudinal ethnology |\u00a0Marion Bowman, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>The Challenges for Scholarly Engagement with the Church of Scientology and Free Zone in the Field | Aled Thomas, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Becoming a reliable narrator: ethnography and religion | Paul-Fran\u00e7ois Tremlett, The Open University<\/p>\n<p>Approaches to the study of individualised spirituality &#8211; theory and practice | Claire Wanless, The Open University<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kents Hill, Milton Keynes | February 19-21, 2018 #OURS2018 Themes\u00a0|\u00a0Education, Media, Pilgrimage, Politics, Ritual, Spirituality At a time when the public role of the University is under increasing scrutiny, how can we ensure that research and teaching about religions reaches new publics? What can we do to enhance religious literacy both within and beyond religious [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":459,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-403","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=403"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":672,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/403\/revisions\/672"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/religious-studies\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}