Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper uses the distinction Martin Hollis and Steve Smith make between explaining international relations from the outside, and understanding international relations from the inside as the basis for reconsidering the place of culture and religion in international relations theory. It shows how much of the literature in the first year or so after September 11 fits into these two appraoches. It argues, however, that interpretative approaches can bring out the relevance of some aspects of social constructivism for understanding culture and religion in international relations as well as its limits. Some of these limits can be more clearly seen when culture and religion are examined using Alasdair MacIntyre's narrative theory of idenity and social action, and so the paper ends up by applying MacIntre's narrative approach to understanding the September 11 tragedy.

Publication Type: Informal Discussion Roundtable
Abstract: This roundtable aims to broaden a developing conversation about how sociologists conceptualize and study religion across the discipline. While a great deal of research about religion is being conducted by sociologists of religion, many other sociologists are expanding the substantive focus of the religious in sociology and the theoretical, methodological, and conceptual apparatus sociologists use to engage questions about religion. Sociologists studying religion in different sections of the discipline do not necessarily often (or ever) find themselves in conversations with others in the field who are working on topics and issues related to religion. As such, emergent work about religion remains surprisingly at the "edge" of sub-disciplinary conversations about religion. This informal roundtable will invite any and all interested sociologists researching religion to a conversation about the state of the field.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper attempts to get beyond legal rhetoric to the political arguments that originally framed our contemporary church-state constitutional discourse. By focusing on the thought and deeds of George Washington and James Madison, I show that sharp and significant disagreement existed among the leading founding fathers over church-state matters. These differences, I suggest, follow from competing prudential judgments about the political utility of religion. The paper begins by documenting Washington?s and Madison?s policy differences. I then attempt to explain these differences in light of Washington?s favorable and Madison?s skeptical reflections about religion?s role in supporting republic government. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of Washington?s and Madison?s relevance for contemporary church-state political questions.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: I will argue in my paper that if we
aspire to liberal democratic principles of legitimacy, toleration
should be considered a political value to be embraced not only by the
religious but also by the secular. In the countries where religious
manifestations in the public life is on the rise, the conflict between
the religious and secular forces tend to dominate the politics in a
dreadful way; since most secular views are represented by political
elites, the state establishment is pulled into conflict and rendered a
party among other. Strong secular bias of the political regime and the
resentment it creates among the citizens of faith, influence the
dispositions of religious views and their manifestations in public life
in ways that are inimical to the development of a democratic
culture.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper provides a critical overview on the growing subfield of research on religion and international relations (IR). In adressing the definitional challenges related to integrating different dimensions of religion into the field, the present paper draws on metadebates on the definition and boundaries of religion within the established diciplines of religion studies. This leads to the identification of three security-relevant conceptualizations of religion, covering different methodological approaches and analytical interests: namely, religion as belief and community, religion as a power, and religion as a claim. The advantages, methodological shortcoming and promises of each trend is discussed in order to upgrade the field’s abilities to deal with the sui generis aspects of religion in a causative but non-deterministic way.