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 King鈥檚 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 鈥榬eligion鈥 more accessible, hopefully even to its sceptics.
Why do many scholars now doubt that 鈥榬eligion鈥 is a useful concept for understanding aspects of our world? What鈥檚 wrong with describing things as 鈥榬eligious鈥 or 鈥榥on-religious鈥? Why does it matter, and what can we do about it? These are the kinds of questions addressed by the book鈥檚 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鈥疌ritical Religion 鈥 i.e., the critical study of 鈥榬eligion鈥 and related categories such as 鈥榯he secular鈥. Through a diverse sample of cutting-edge scholarship, this book shows what鈥疌ritical Religion鈥痬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, 鸟大大影院
Dr Alex Henley is the editor of . He leads the Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities at the 鸟大大影院, and teaches on religion and politics in the Middle East. His research interests revolve around 鈥榬eligion鈥 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听补苍诲听serves as听Honorary Secretary of the听听(BASR).听Her research听focuses on听contemporary Paganism,听British Druidry and indigeneity in听Newfoundland. She is the author of听听(2008),听补苍诲听has听also听published on the state of the听religious studies in the UK.听
Dr Mitsutoshi Horii
Professor, Shumei University and Chaucer College
is a professor of Sociology at听Shumei听University in Japan, and principal of Chaucer College in Canterbury, UK.听He co-edits听the听leading听journal听, and his most recent books are听听(2018) and听听(2021).听
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 鈥榗ritical religion鈥 and founded the 听with colleagues at Stirling. He is the author of听听(2000),听听(2007), and听听(2011).
