This event will be held at the Aga KhanA title granted by the Shah of Persia to the then Ismaili Imam in 1818 and inherited by each of his successors to the Imamate. Centre (AKC) near London Kings Cross, and streamed online via Zoom, at 17:00 BST.
Join us for a discussion with authors of, a new book that aims to make critical theory on religion more accessible, hopefully even to its sceptics.
Why do many scholars now doubt that religion is a useful concept for understanding aspects of our world? Whats wrong with describing things as religious or non-religious? Why does it matter, and what can we do about it? These are the kinds of questions addressed by the books twelve authors, who speak to the importance and usefulness of critical approaches based on their own research and teaching in various fields.
The book offers a toolkit for understanding and doing浚ritical Religion i.e., the critical study of religion and related categories such as the secular. Through a diverse sample of cutting-edge scholarship, this book shows what浚ritical Religion痂eans in action. It includes perspectives on history, anthropology, sociology, political science, and education, with case studies representing research in contexts from Japan to the Middle East to Europe and North America.
This event is an opportunity to discuss the critical revolution in religious studies with several of its pioneers. Our panel of scholars will explain what critical religion means to them and share their experience of putting these theoretical insights into practice. There will be plenty of time for Q&A, and all are welcome to continue these conversations over drinks at 6:30 pm.
Attendees are invited to stay for drinks reception at the AKC afterwards.
Speakers
Dr Alex Henley
Programme Leader, The Institute of Ismaili Studies
Dr Alex Henley is the editor of . He leads the Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities at the 敁珗曄部, and teaches on religion and politics in the Middle East. His research interests revolve around religion as a changing category of practice and governance, especially modern models of religious leadership and how they have been shaped by connected processes of religionisation, institutionalisation and sectarianisation.
Dr Suzanne Owen
Associate Professor, Leeds Trinity University
teaches on the study of religion泭硃紳餃泭serves as泭Honorary Secretary of the泭泭(BASR).泭Her research泭focuses on泭contemporary Paganism,泭British Druidry and indigeneity in泭Newfoundland. She is the author of泭泭(2008),泭硃紳餃泭has泭also泭published on the state of the泭religious studies in the UK.泭
Dr Mitsutoshi Horii
Professor, Shumei University and Chaucer College
is a professor of Sociology at泭Shumei泭University in Japan, and principal of Chaucer College in Canterbury, UK.泭He co-edits泭the泭leading泭journal泭, and his most recent books are泭泭(2018) and泭泭(2021).泭
Dr Steven Sutcliffe
Visiting Fellow, Open University
recently retired from a senior lectureship role in the study of religion at the University of Edinburgh. His research interests include the effects of category formation on contemporary social life and cultural production. His publications include (2003) and (2016).
Dr Timothy Fitzgerald
Research Associate, Center for Critical Research on Religion
was Reader in Religion at the University of Stirling from 2001 to 2015, having previously worked in Japan for thirteen years. He coined the term critical religion and founded the 泭with colleagues at Stirling. He is the author of泭泭(2000),泭泭(2007), and泭泭(2011).
