Field of research B “Religious diversity and legal-political unity”
The question of how people deal with religious diversity in a society, and regulate and shape the coexistence of different religious communities legally and politically, has always played a prominent role throughout history. Viewed historically, religious diversity has been the rule rather than the exception, and legal-political structures largely emerged from religious practices and beliefs, and for centuries could barely be separated from them. Political rule was and still often is shaped and legitimized by religion.
The question of field of research B is how religiously based legal-political systems deal with members of minority religions, and how they manage conflicts caused by religious diversity. Even modern states with secularized, liberal constitutional systems, which claim to ensure that all religious communities are afforded the same space for development, are confronted with this problem.
Field of research B examines in three key questions the dynamic relationship between religion, politics and law: How does religious diversity in its dynamics influence legal regulations and political power relations? How does it affect informal regulations? And how have legal-political systems dealt with religious diversity and the resulting social and religious conflicts in different cultures throughout history?
Field of research B Religious diversity and legal-political unity builds on research carried out in the past funding phases (2007-2018) as part of the then field of research C Integration.