UA to Host Symposium on Religion and Conflict

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A public symposium featuring “Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Religion and Conflict” will be held on Friday, Sept. 28 in 205 Gorgas Library at The University of Alabama.

The symposium brings together experts from different academic disciplines including history, religious studies and English, as well as experts on regions covering Europe, Asia and America, and historical periods.

The experts will analyze historical relations between religions and social/political conflict and theories. Recent world events will be tied in with discussions on how religious beliefs and social/political beliefs are connected.

The symposium consists of four sessions, each of which includes the presentation of a paper, two responses, and a discussion between the presenter, respondents and the audience.

The schedule includes:

Session 1, 8:45 – 10:15 a.m.
“Religion as the Structuring of Asymmetrical Relations” by Tim Murphy, UA department of religious studies

Session 2, 10:30 a.m.-noon
“A Consuming Fire: The Violence of Inquisition and Meanings of Medieval Religion” by Christine Ames, department of history, University of South Carolina

Session 3, 2-3:30 p.m.
“Political Religion? Deploying the Sacred in Hitler’s Germany” by George Williamson, UA department of history

Session 4, 3:45-5:30 p.m.
“The Stillness That Comes After: African Traditional Religions, Christianity, and the Meaning of Death in David Bradley’s The Chaneysville Incident” by Maha Marouan, UA department of religious studies

This event is free and open to the public.

The symposium is sponsored by the departments of history and religious studies with support from the College of Arts and Sciences office of the dean.

For more information, visit http://www.as.ua.edu/rel/religionandconflict.html or contact Dr. Steven Ramey, assistant professor of religious studies, sramey@as.ua.edu or 205/348-4218.