An international conference from 4 to 7 November in Katowice, Poland, organized by the University of Silesia Katowice in cooperation with the Catholic University of Portugal, the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, and the Cluster of Excellence, will deal with questions of the unity of Christianity. Researchers will examine Eastern European perspectives on the synodal process, the relationship between Christianity and Europe and the unity of Christianity in the light of plural societies. The event is taking place as part of the celebrations to mark Katowice's designation as a European City of Science 2024.
As part of its annual theme “Body and Religion”, the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” is organizing an exhibition on the body in the world’s religions from antiquity to the present – Opening in the Archaeological Museum and Bible Museum of the University of Münster on 25 October 2024 – Important exhibits on religious practices and ideas from Paris, Vienna and Berlin
In a new online video, the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” at the University of Münster presents its current research on the complex field of tension between religion and politics across different periods. Featured in the film are the Egyptologist Angelika Lohwasser, the political scientist Svenja Ahlhaus, the Islamic theologian Dina El Omari, and the Catholic theologian Hubert Wolf. They also talk about early career opportunities, research transfer and the new campus for theology and religious studies of the University of Münster.
Cluster of Excellence and School of Journalism ifp qualify media professionals to deal with religious issues – Themes such as antisemitism and racism, conflicts over religious practices, and new ideological movements – Places still available: deadline for registration is 1 October 2024
In his lecture at the Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics", US philosopher and Hans Blumenberg Professor for 2024 Kwame Anthony Appiah argued for a pluralistic understanding of religious identities. Appiah, who teaches at New York University, believes that this is a way to resolve religious conflicts - without resorting to relativism.
Cluster of Excellence and School of Journalism qualify media professionals to deal with religious issues – Themes such as antisemitism and racism, conflicts over religious practices, and new ideological movements – Positive feedback leads to continuation of only training programme of its kind in Germany
Funding from the Cluster of Excellence has enabled Italian-born historian Dr. Alessandro Grazi to join the “Asking the Pope for Help” project team led by church historian Prof. Dr. Hubert Wolf. Grazi’s sub-project is concerned with the so-called “Brazilian Visa Project”, which gave hope to some Jews during the Shoah of being able to flee to South America with the support of the Vatican. Brazil had provided the Holy See with 3,000 visas for baptized people of Jewish origin. Grazi will reconstruct the process by which visas were issued, and explore the possibilities and limits of this so-called “Brazilian Visa Project”.
Members of parliament and researchers discuss current research – Parliamentary breakfast and exhibition on the 14 Clusters of Excellence in North Rhine-Westphalia – Science minister Ina Brandes commends excellent research
US philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah talks in Münster about how religions shape identities – Evening lecture on 13 June about identity and social belonging – Appiah: Religious identity is revealed as an activity, not a thing. And it’s the nature of activities to bring change.
Doctoral students from the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” gave an insight into their research at the “Afternoon of the Graduate School” on May 28, 2024.
What is the relationship between Muslims and politics, society and culture? This question is the focus of the new research center "Islam and Politics. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Dynamics of Islam", headed by Mouhanad Khorchide. It opens on April 17. The Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics" is a cooperation partner of the research center.
Literary scholar Martina Wagner-Egelhaaf from the Cluster of Excellence spoke about ideas of demons from antiquity to the present day in a lecture at the Warburg House in Hamburg. Under the title "Dämonenkraft. Heimsuchungen (in) der Moderne", she shed light on the idea of the demonic in the works of Plato and Goethe, but above all in contemporary novels, poems and dramas.
The University of Münster presents its research profile in a new video. Impact Areas and Profile Areas bring together disciplinary strengths and resources. One Profile Area is “Religion and Society”, which also includes the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics”. In the video, church historian Prof. Hubert Wolf and Islamic theologian Prof. Dina El Omari discuss research at the Cluster of Excellence that focuses on factors that have made religion a driver of political and social change from antiquity to the present day.
At the University of Münster’s New Year’s reception, the rectorate awarded the 15,000 euro teaching prize. Among the recipients were the Eastern European historian Prof. Dr. Ricarda Vulpius and the art historian Prof. Dr. Jens Niebaum, both members of the Cluster of Excellence. They were awarded the prize for their seminar “Ukrainian places of remembrance – from an art-historical and historical perspective”. Rector Prof. Dr. Johannes Wessels also emphasized how the event had helped expand the infrastructure for excellent research.
Doctoral students from the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” gave an insight into their research at the “Afternoon of the Graduate School” on 9 January 2024.
