Researching Religions & Politics – Young German Perspectives
Panel Chair: Ulf Plessentin
Political conditions often had and still have a profound influence on religious groups. Likewise, religious groups endeavour to impact politics, policy-making, and politicians, both in past and present times. Topics in the nexus of religion and politics are therefore an integral part of any scientific study of religions. Novel and interesting research has been conducted by sociologists, political scientists and scholars of religious studies over the last decade. Due to their cross-cultural and historical perspectives, religious studies can contribute fruitfully to ongoing academic discussions. In order to provide a platform that unites different approaches, a working group on religions and politics was founded within the DVRW, the German section of IAHR. In this panel, young scholars present their research, especially on processes of adaptation to and transformation of political structures. Additionally, the mechanisms by which political conditions foster innovative or traditional religious structures and practices shall be discussed.
With:
Thomas Jurczyk (CERES, PhD student): Religious and Political Semantics in the first two Books of the Maccabees
Katharina Neef: Churches, Chapels, Clubs: Legal Dimensions of and their Implications on Religions in 20th-century Germany
Ulf Plessentin (CERES, KHK): Syriac-Orthodox Christians in Sweden and Germany: Adaptation to and Application of Democratic Principles
