News/Announcements
16th Conference of International Study of Religion in Eastern and Central Europe Association, ISORECEA (IAHR Special Conference)
Conference theme: “Religious Diversity and Social Cohesion in Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond”
The conference will be held in Tirana, Albania, from April 25 to April 27, 2024. The deadline for sending proposals is January 5, 2024.
If you are interested in participating in the conference, please submit the abstract of your presentation (max. 300 words) using this abstract submission form.
If you are interested in a specific topic related to religious diversity and social cohesion, you can organise a session/panel composed of 3–5 presentations. In this case, please submit a 200-word session proposal followed by full session details (names and affiliation of contributors, titles of their presentations) to agata.rejowska@uj.edu.pl. Please note that participants in your session should send in their abstracts individually (like all other conference participants) using the submission form by December 15, 2023.
If you are interested in organizing an Author Meets Critique session, please submit a session proposal including details of the volume to be discussed and its author(s) as well as names and affiliation of discussants to agata.rejowska@uj.edu.pl.
The website of the XXIII Quinquennial World Congress of the IAHR is now launched!
Please visit: https://iahr2025.org/welcome/
IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement, Tokyo Edition, November 2023 released
Call for Applications: Publication Grant for IAHR Book Series “The Study of Religion in a Global Context”
We are pleased to announce that the IAHR has launched the IAHR Book Series Publication Grant. The IAHR makes publication expenses available up to € 6000 per year to publish open access. The funds can only be used to pay the fees for publishing open access (monographs or collected volumes) in the IAHR Book Series “The Study of Religion in a Global Context”. For more information on the IAHR Book Series, CLICK HERE.
The grant can be converted to a Language Editing Grant for publications in the IAHR Book Series.
Applicants exclusively from countries and territories eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA) are entitled to apply for the IAHR Book Series Publication Grant. Grantees will have to organize an international webinar on their publication. For a list of eligible countries, CLICK HERE.
Applications should be sent to the IAHR Book Series Managing Editor, Prof. Alexandra Grieser (GRIESERA@tcd.ie). For more information, please contact: GRIESERA@tcd.ie.9th Biannual Conference of the South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Culture and Religion (IAHR Reginal Conference)
The next SSEASR conference, which will also be an IAHR Regional Conference, will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2-4, 2023.
Its main theme is "Sacredness, Symbolism, and Society: Practices in
South and Southeast Asia". Please visit their website for further info.
20th Annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions (IAHR Reginal Conference)
The Lithuanian Society for the Study of Religion will host the next EASR annual conference, which will also be an IAHR Regional Conference, in Vilnius, September 4-8, 2023.
Its main theme is "Religions and Technologies". Please visit their website for further info.
The 2025 World Congress of the IAHR will go to Kraków, Poland
We are pleased to announce that our 23rd World Congress will be held in Kraków, Poland, in 2025, hosted by Jagiellonian University in Kraków with support of the Polish Society for the Study of Religion. Please see more information in our e-Bulletin Supplement, Sep 2022.
IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement released
Passing of Professor Louise Bäckman
Prof. Louise Bäckman, Professor Emeritus of Religious History at Stockholm University, passed away in Stockholm in November 2021, at the age of 94. Being a Sami descendant, Prof. Bäckman specialized in Sami religious traditions and also pioneered in women’s studies in our field. A collection of her articles was published as Studier i samisk religion in 2013. We are greatly saddened to learn of her passing and would like to send our deepest condolences to her family.
IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement released
Collaborative International Research Grants
The AAR-IAHR "Collaborative International Research Grants" program is open for submissions till October 1. It supports generative research collaborations between scholars in different geographical regions.
7th PASCHR International Conference (Digital), 2021 - PASCHR
Call for papers: 7th PASCHR's International Conference
IAHR 2020 Congress Record
The 2020 World Congress record is released!
Report from the British Association for the Study of Religions
The IAHR President and Secretary General have recently received a report from the British Association for the Study of Religions. It is a response to the 2019 British Academy Report, where the study of religion was presented as a relic in terminal decline.
As we think the report is relevant and of interest to many of our other member associations, we would like to share it with you here.
The fourth Women Scholars Network webinar is now on YouTube!
IAHR Women Scholars Network Webinar on the Women in Religions textbook series
The Fourth IAHR-Women Scholars Network webinar announced
Women in Religions Textbook Series, NYU Press
Friday, January 22, 2021, 6:00 pm UTC
Five authors of textbooks in the Women in Religions series published by NYU Press will discuss their books and their insights on teaching about women in religions. They will indicate the topics that their books cover, questions that are considered, methodology, gender analysis, and additional resources that can be used in courses.
Presenters:
- Barbara R. Ambros, Women in Japanese Religions
- Rebecca Moore, Women in Christian Traditions
- Laura Vance, Women in New Religions
- Karma Lekshe Tsomo, Women in Buddhist Traditions
- Catherine Wessinger, Theory of Women in Religions
Moderators: Amy Allocco (Elon University, USA) and Milda Alisauskiene (Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania)
Please visit the WSN Facebook for more information.
IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement released
The third Women Scholars Network webinar is now on YouTube!
IAHR Women Scholars Network Webinar: Scholarly Pathways and Research Projects across Global Contexts
2021 Annual Conference of British Association for the Study of Religions (IAHR Special Conference)
6-8 September 2021, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh
“From Religious Studies to the Study of Religion/s: Disciplinary Futures for the 21st century”
Call for papers is now open.
18th Annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions (IAHR Reginal Conference)
Pisa 30 August – 3 September 2021
Call for papers is now open.
The host invites delegates to submit their abstracts for either workshop sessions, short individual communications, or posters (the final deadline is 31 January 2021).
Please visit https://www.easr2021.org/how-to-submit-a-proposal/
Should the circumstances make it impossible to organise a full-scale physical event, the conference will be held in a hybrid form and streamed on a dedicated online platform.
Third IAHR-Women Scholars Network webinar announced
You are warmly invited to join us for the 3rd IAHR WSN webinar, “Scholarly Pathways and Research Projects Across Global Contexts,” to be held on Friday, November 20th at 1pm UTC (select local times on announcement) on Zoom.
Presenters:
- Professors Shahnaj Husne Jahan (University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh)
- Oyeronke Olademo (University of Ilorin, Nigeria)
- Corinne Dempsey (Nazareth College, USA)
- Mo Mo Thant (University of Yangon, Myanmar)
Moderators: Amy Allocco (Elon University, USA) and Milda Ališauskiene (Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania)
Please visit the WSN Facebook for more information.
The second Women Scholars Network webinar is now on YouTube!
“Senior Women Scholars of Religion Reflect on their Academic Journeys”
The second IAHR-Women Scholars Network webinar focuses on the lives of four senior scholars
“Senior Women Scholars of Religion Reflect on their Academic Journeys”
Speakers: Profs. Rosalind Hackett, Catherine Wessinger, Oyeronke Olademo, Eileen Barker
Oct 22, 2020, 1:00pm UTC
Zoom (meeting ID: 841 8778 6729)
The first IAHR webinar and the first Women Scholars Network webinar are now on YouTube!
- “Reflections on the Study of Religion in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Past, Present, and Prospect”
- “Comparing Notes: Women in the Field”
First IAHR webinar and the first IAHR-Women Scholars Network webinar announced
We are excited to announce the first IAHR webinar and the first IAHR-Women Scholars Network webinar!
(For a security reason, links, IDs and PWs for the webinars are not included in the information below. Please go to IAHR Facebook/IAHR-WSN Facebook page to find out. The officers of your association have also been asked to share the info with you.)
The IAHR webinar: “Reflections on the Study of Religion in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Past, Present, and Prospect”
Time: Sep 16, Wed, 8:00PM-9:30PM GMT
Roundtable participants, in order of speaking:
- Profs. Paul Morris
- Will Sweetman
- John Shaver
- Ben Schontha
Chair: Prof. Ann Taves (IAHR Vice-President)
The IAHR-WSN webinar: “Announcing a New IAHR Women Scholars Network Webinar Series”
Time: Sep 21, Mon, 2:00 PM-3:00PM GMT
Presenters:
- Profs. Rosalind Hackett
- Morny Joy (founders)
- Jenny Berglund
- Jay Johnston (outgoing coordinators)
- Milda Ališauskiene
- Amy Allocco, (incoming coordinators)
Program:
- Introducing the IAHR-WSN
- Presentation of founders and coordinators
- Planned future activities
- Suggestions from members on future activities
- Questions & Answers
IAHR 2020 Virtual Exhibit Hall
As our Quinquennial World Congress has unfortunately been cancelled, we have invited publishers to this online book fair. Click here to find out which publishers will be attending. We hope you will find many new titles and discounted titles of your interest!
Passing of Professor Kurt Rudolph
It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Professor Kurt Rudolph, an Honorary Life Member of the IAHR, on May 13, shortly after celebrating his 91st birthday. Professor Rudolph greatly contributed to the IAHR through, above all, his critical reflections upon the methodology and the nature of the study of religions. An obituary will appear in NVMEN soon. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family.
Brill, the publisher of NVMEN, to grant automatic free online access to all introductions and editorials.
Brill is planning to grant automatic free online access to all Introductions and Editorials going forward, with a view to helping to promote the journal. They will also do the same for Obituaries, Corrections, and Retractions. In addition, in 2020 and 2021, Brill will publish all research and review articles by authors affiliated to a Dutch institution in Open Access at no cost to the author.
Polish Society for the Study of Religions & Institute for the Study of Religions, Jagiellonian University in Kraków invites you to participate in The Sixth International Congress of Religious Studies.
Belief – Imagination – Knowledge. New Paths of Religious Studies in the 21st Century. The congress will take place between 29th June and 1st July 2020 in Kraków. All necessary information you can find on the official conference webpage: https://kongres.religioznawstwo.uj.edu.pl/
Call for contributions to a new magazine on the humanities.
The CIPSH is engaged in a new publication: “HAS – The Magazine of Humanities, Arts and Society”.
IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement, Nov 2019 is released
http://www.iahrweb.org/bulletins/IAHR_e-Bull_Suppl_Nov_2019.pdf
Call for Papers from the Philippine Association (PASCHR): 6th PASCHR International Conference, Basco, Batanes, April 22-24, 2020
Registration is open for the 2020 World Congress of the IAHR!
Please visit the Congress website https://www.iahr2020.kiwi/
Registration | Abstract Submissions
IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement, Feb 2019 is released
http://www.iahrweb.org/bulletins/IAHR_E-Bull_Suppl_Feb_2019.pdf
IAHR 2020 World Congress
Aug 23-29, 2020
Otago, New Zealand
“Centres and Peripheries” Call for Papers is on p. 49 of the IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement, Bern Edition https://www.iahr2020.kiwi/
The Study of Religion in a Global Context – the IAHR Book Series
The editorial board welcomes submissions from members of the IAHR member associations. http://www.iahrweb.org/bookseries.php
IAHR-AAR Collaborative International Research Grants
All the members of the IAHR member associations are qualified. Application Deadline: October 1 https://www.aarweb.org/programs-services/collaborative-international-research-grants
33rd Biannual Conference of the German Association for the Study of Religion (DVRW, IAHR Special Conference)
September 3-6, 2019
Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany
"Conceptualising Religion" https://www.dvrw2019.uni-hannover.de/en/
Cork Conference of the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture (ISSRNC, IAHR Special Conference)
June 13-16, 2019
IAHR Special Conference
University College Cork, Ireland
"Religion/Water/Climate: Changing Cultures and Landscapes" https://www.issrnc.org/conferences/2019-conference/cork-cfp/
Passing of Professor Michel Despland
On behalf of the Executive Committee of the IAHR, I would like to express my condolences to the family of Professor Michel Despland, emeritus professor of Concordia University, who passed away on July 31. He contributed to the IAHR, above all, as an outstanding managing editor of its flagship journal, NVMEN.
Satoko Fujiwara
Acting Secretary General
IAHR e-Bulletin Supplement, Bern Edition, May 2018 is released.
http://www.iahrweb.org/bulletins/IAHR_E-Bull_Suppl_May_2018.pdf
17th Annual Conference of the EASR
IAHR Regional Conference
Tartu (Estonia)
June 25-29, 2019
8th SSEASR Conference (IAHR Regional Conference)
June 13-16, 2019
Dhaka, Bangladesh
“Rivers and Religion: Connecting Cultures of South and Southeast Asia” http://sseasr.org/8th-conference.html
Passing of Professor Jonathan Z. Smith
It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Professor Jonathan Z. Smith, an Honorary Life Member of the IAHR, on December 30. Professor Smith contributed longstanding service to both the IAHR and the North American Association for the Study of Religion (an IAHR regional member). His legacy will encourage all of us to strive to promote an analytic and critical approach to the study of religion. We will sorely miss him. An obituary will appear in NVMEN soon. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife and family.
Proceedings of the World Humanities Conference is now available
World Humanities Forum
Oct 31-Nov 2, 2018
Busan, South Korea
The deadline for the Call for Papers is January 31, 2018. http://worldhumanitiesforum.com/eng/forum/papers.php
EASR-IAHR Joint Statement on the European Academy of Religion
The EASR and the IAHR wish to state that they are not in support of the newly established “European Academy of Religion. Read More
Outcome Document of the World Humanities Conference is now available
The WHC was held in Liège, Belgium, Aug 6-12, 2017, co-hosted by the CIPSH and UNESCO. It was the first time to hold such a large conference in the history of the CIPSH. Check its outcome document, "A New Humanities Agenda for the 21st Century."
Also, check IAHR President Tim Jensen's speech at a plenary session on "Borders and Migrations."
Religion(s) and Power(s) Conference
October, 5-6 2017
Vytautas Magnus University
Kaunas, Lithuania
This conference is being hosted by the Lithuanian Society for the Study of Religions in cooperation with Latvian Society for the Study of Religions and Estonian Society for the Study of Religions.
World Humanities Conference
Aug 6-12, 2017
Liège, Belgium
Humanities have been a main structuring dimension of knowledge and understanding of societies throughout time, allowing to approach complexity, rendering time and causal dimensions to features or making sense of processes. Actually, the divide between the Humanities and other knowledge clusters (e.g. natural sciences or technologies) is a recent feature. Read More
NVMEN Special Volume
The NVMEN Special Volume compiled to celebrate the occasion of the 60th anniversary of NVMEN: International Review for the History of Religions in 2014, has now been published.. Read More
Announcement: IAHR 2020 World Congress to be held in Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
"Dear Prof. Sweetman,
It is a pleasure and privilege, on behalf of the IAHR Executive Committee, to inform you and your colleagues that the IAHR Executive Committee during its meeting June 26-27, 2016 i n Helsinki, Finland, unanimously decided to accept, with gratitude and great expectations, your bid and proposal to host the IAHR XXII World Congress 2020 in Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Allow us also, on behalf of the IAHR Executive Committee, to thank all the institutions, organisations, and people (e.g. Dunedin City Council, University of Otago, Tourism New Zealand, Enterprise Dunedin, the other Study of Religions programs in the country, and the Australian Association for the Study of Religions) for the support they have already promised to offer you and thus the IAHR with regard to the 2020 IAHR World Congress.
You will receive a follow-up letter from the IAHR Secretary General, Prof. Afe Adogame, a letter which, apart from confirming this announcement, may serve as a starting point for future talks between the NZASR and IAHR leaderships about important matters linked to the demanding process towards the holding of an IAHR World Congress.
Accept our congratulations! Sincerely,
Tim Jensen, IAHR President
Afe Adogame, IAHR Secretary General
Philippe Bornet, IAHR Treasurer
Ann Taves, IAHR Deputy Secretary General"
Click here to read an interview by Tim Jensen about the hosts and location.
Now For Sale with Brill. Special Offer to IAHR members
NVMEN, the Academic Study of Religion, and the IAHR. Past, Present, and Prospects, edited by Tim Jensen & Armin W. Geertz on behalf of Brill and the IAHR Executive Committee, is a 'Festschrift' collected and published in honor of the 60th anniversary of NVMEN, the IAHR flagship journal. The volume is a collection of selected and joint memories of NVMEN, the IAHR and the Study of Religion, memories which, with reference to then IAHR President Michael Pye's opening address at the IAHR World Congress in Durban 2000 "selected, contested, and always reflected, [hopefully can] turn out to be not only memories of the past but also constituents of the future".
The reprints and newly commissioned writings critically reflect on NVMEN past and present, on the history, developments and gradual yet steady expansion of the IAHR as well as on key methodological issues and debates linked to the IAHR and its history. These issues are raised, analysed and discussed by past and present key IAHR 'movers', be they presidents, general secretaries, treasurers, publications officers, managing editors or other scholars and colleagues dedicated to the IAHR and NVMEN one way or another. This publication, hopefully, can serve present and future generations of IAHR members, be they individual scholars or member associations and affiliates, when looking for material on key discussions within the IAHR and the academic study of religion as envisioned, promoted and pursued by the IAHR and NVMEN.
The volume has reprints of contributions by R. Pettazzoni, G. Wiedengreen, C. J. Bleeker, R.J. Zwi Werblowsky, A. Schimmel, E. J. Sharpe, M. Pye, A.W. Geertz & R.T. McCutcheon, T. Jensen, and new contributions by D. Accorinti, G. Alles, C. Bochinger & J. Ruepke, G. Casadio, S. Fujiwara, R.I.J. Hackett, O. Hammer, M. Joy, M. Pye, and D. Wiebe.
Brill offers all members of the IAHR a promotional 25%. Note Action Code 70302. Offer is valid until 31 December 2016!
Award of Honorary Professorship at the University of Hannover, Germany
Congratulations to the IAHR President, Professor Tim Jensen who has recently been appointed honorary Professor at the University of Hanover, Unit for the Study of Religions, see http://www.phil.uni-hannover.de/
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IAHR acceptance of the proposal for the IAHR XXth Quinquennial World Congress 2010 to be held in Toronto (Canada)
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We have received the sad news that Prof. Carsten Colpe, IAHR as well as DVRW Honorary Life Member, passed away in Berlin November 24, 2009. A funeral ceremony takes place December 8, 2009. The IAHR Executive Committee extends condolences to Prof. Colpe’s family. An obituary will be published at the IAHR website and in NUMEN as soon as possible.
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We have received the sad news that Prof. Michio Araki, Honorary Life Member of the IAHR, passed away on December 22, 2008. IAHR Honorary Life Member, Prof. Michael Pye, in Kyoto at the time, sent a message of condolences to the funeral ceremony.
An obituary is about to be published at the IAHR website as well as in NUMEN
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It is our sad task to pass on to you the unfortunate news that Professor Gary Lease, Treasurer of the IAHR, passed away last Friday, January 4, 2008, following a long battle with cancer. The death of Dr. Lease is a terrible loss to his family, friends, colleagues, and students, and it has affected the IAHR Executive Committee deeply.
We extend our condolences to Gary’s wife and family.
PS. An obituary will be published in NUMEN, as well as posted on the IAHR website, as soon as possible. In the meantime please consult the website of NAASR, where there is more information on Gary's life and work, as well as the UC Santa Cruz online obituary.
The President, the General Secretary, as well as several NAASR members will attend the memorial service February 2, 2008.
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Thanks to several IAHR women scholars, and thanks to the coordinators, Rosalind Hackett, IAHR President and Morny Joy, member of the IAHR Executive Committee, the IAHR Women Scholars Network is now a fact. As stated by the coordinators, the IAHR Women Scholars Network “has been established to provide a forum for women in Religious Studies throughout the world to be in contact with one another. So, firstly the aim is to encourage scholarly communication as well as to help solidify friendships that have begun at various IAHR conferences in different countries.” Please visit the site immediately and read more.Tim Jensen, May 2007 (website)
IAHR acceptance of the proposal for the IAHR XXth Quinquennial World Congress 2010 to be held in Toronto (Canada)
We have received the sad news that Prof. Carsten Colpe, IAHR as well as DVRW Honorary Life Member, passed away in Berlin November 24, 2009. A funeral ceremony takes place December 8, 2009. The IAHR Executive Committee extends condolences to Prof. Colpe’s family. An obituary will be published at the IAHR website and in NUMEN as soon as possible.
We have received the sad news that Prof. Michio Araki, Honorary Life Member of the IAHR, passed away on December 22, 2008. IAHR Honorary Life Member, Prof. Michael Pye, in Kyoto at the time, sent a message of condolences to the funeral ceremony.
An obituary is about to be published at the IAHR website as well as in NUMEN
It is our sad task to pass on to you the unfortunate news that Professor Gary Lease, Treasurer of the IAHR, passed away last Friday, January 4, 2008, following a long battle with cancer. The death of Dr. Lease is a terrible loss to his family, friends, colleagues, and students, and it has affected the IAHR Executive Committee deeply.
We extend our condolences to Gary’s wife and family.
PS. An obituary will be published in NUMEN, as well as posted on the IAHR website, as soon as possible. In the meantime please consult the website of NAASR, where there is more information on Gary's life and work, as well as the UC Santa Cruz online obituary.
The President, the General Secretary, as well as several NAASR members will attend the memorial service February 2, 2008.
Thanks to several IAHR women scholars, and thanks to the coordinators, Rosalind Hackett, IAHR President and Morny Joy, member of the IAHR Executive Committee, the IAHR Women Scholars Network is now a fact. As stated by the coordinators, the IAHR Women Scholars Network “has been established to provide a forum for women in Religious Studies throughout the world to be in contact with one another. So, firstly the aim is to encourage scholarly communication as well as to help solidify friendships that have begun at various IAHR conferences in different countries.” Please visit the site immediately and read more.Tim Jensen, May 2007 (website)