International Association for the History of Religions

1. Scope and Purpose

These rules supplement the IAHR Constitution and By-Laws to provide a clear framework for the conduct of International Committee (IC) meetings held in part or in whole online, and to ensure the inclusion and equal voting rights of online delegates

2. Definition of Online Participation

Online participation refers to attendance at an IC meeting via digital communication technologies (e.g., video conferencing platforms), without being physically present at the designated meeting location

3. Eligibility for Online Participation

3.1. National and regional member associations and affiliates may nominate delegates to attend IC meetings either in person or online, subject to the same nomination and registration procedures

3.2. Online delegates must be duly registered with the IAHR Secretary General by the same deadline as in-person delegates and must be able to verify their identity via the designated platform.

4. Quorum

4.1. Online delegates shall be counted toward the quorum for an IC meeting, provided their presence is verified at the beginning of the meeting by the Secretary General

5. Voting Rights

5.1. Online delegates shall have the same voting rights as in-person delegates, including the right to vote in elections, on motions, and on any matter brought before the IC.

5.2. Secure digital voting platforms (tools with personalized voting tokens) shall be used to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and verifiability of votes cast by online delegates

5.3. The list of delegates eligible to vote shall be finalized at the beginning of the meeting and shall include both in-person and online attendees.

6. Status of Online IC Meetings

6.1. Online IC meetings refer to IC meetings in which all registered delegates participate remotely via digital platforms, with no physical gathering

6.2. Online IC meetings may be convened in exceptional circumstances, such as emergent issues or global emergencies (e.g., pandemics), and are to be considered complementary to regular in-person or hybrid meetings.

6.3. Online IC meetings shall not replace the IAHR’s established practice of convening in-person or hybrid IC meetings every two to three years.

6.4. Extraordinary online IC meetings must be convened by the Secretary General with advance notice and a clear agenda.

7. Time Zone Considerations

7.1. When scheduling online or hybrid IC meetings, the Secretary General shall make every reasonable effort to accommodate time zone differences equitably, avoiding systemic disadvantage to any specific region.

8. Technical Requirements and Contingencies

8.1. The IAHR Executive Committee (EC) shall ensure that a reliable and secure technical platform is used for the online component of the meeting.

8.2. Delegates are responsible for ensuring that their technical setup allows for full participation. The EC shall provide guidelines and support in advance of the meeting.

8.3. In the case of technical disruptions that prevent an online delegate from voting, the EC shall determine whether a re-vote or other remedy is warranted, taking into account the potential impact on the outcome.

9. Procedural Considerations

9.1. Online delegates may speak, raise procedural motions, and otherwise participate in deliberations to the same extent as in-person delegates.

9.2. The Chair may give procedural instructions to ensure the orderly integration of online and in-person participation (e.g., use of chat functions, raised hand tools, time limits).

10. Review and Amendments

These rules shall be reviewed after each hybrid or online IC meeting and may be amended by a majority vote of the IC.