Religion and Power Relations in Central and Eastern Europe, Iaşi, 19-21 April 2012

Religious changes in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have been studied
extensively during the past twenty years from different points of view, such
as: the revitalization of religion, new social and political roles of
religion, the position of different religions in society, (re)secularization
as a part of modernization, and the Europeanization process of former
communist societies, religions and values, etc. However, there is a
challenge to rethink religious changes in connection with the concept of
power, which has been increasingly employed as an explorative concept in the
social sciences. The role of religion in individual life or, more
importantly, the meaning and use of religion by individuals is difficult to
understand without relation to the concept of power. Religion can also
inspire social processes, but the modern social arena is crowded with
different agents, different positions, interests and strategies of acting,
and the different networks inside which they operate. Some fundamental
questions are: “What are the positions of different religious communities
within modern social arenas?”, “How do various social and political powers
(mis)use religions?”, and “How do religions mis(use) their power?”.

The Conference organizers invite you to address such questions and propose
your paper in line with the Conference title, particularly in relation to *the
following subthemes*:

- Religion and empowerment

- Religion and power: institutional vs. individual perspectives

- Power in relation to majority and minority religions

- Religion, power, and gender

- Religion, power and well-being

- Democratization, the restructuring of power, and religiosity in CEE

- Religion and secular power

- Religious practice among different confessional traditions

- State control and religions in CEE

Please submit a *250-300 words abstract* of your presentation to the
e-mail: isorecea2012@gmail.com *by November 15, 2011*. If you are
interested in another topics related to the study of religion in CEE,
we encourage you to organize a session/panel. In this case, please
submit a *200-300 words proposal* to the same email address.

* *

* *

*Key dates*

Submission of proposals – November 15, 2011

Notification of acceptance – December 15, 2011

Registration for the conference – January 15, 2012

Final programme – February 15, 2012

*Fees*

Please, note that in order to present a paper you need to be a member of
ISORECEA for the years *2012-2013*. The amount of membership fees for two
years and conference fees is as follows (in EURO):

*List of Countries* <http://www.isa-sociology.org/table_c.htm>*

A <http://www.isa-sociology.org/table_c.htm>

B <http://www.isa-sociology.org/table_c.htm>

C <http://www.isa-sociology.org/table_c.htm>

Membership fee

60

40

20

Conference fee

(including membership fee)

140

(of which 60 is the membership fee)

100

(of which 40 is the membership fee)

60

(of which 20 is the membership fee)

Conference fee

for non-members**

160

120

80

Conference fee

(including membership fee for students and unemployed)

50

(of which 20 is the membership fee)

30

(of which 12 is the membership fee)

20

(of which 8 is the membership fee)

Conference fee

for non-members students and unemployed**

80

60

40

Retired

50% (each category)

Conference fee paid on the spot

25% higher (each category)

* This is according to the Table of Economies used by the International
Sociological Association:
http://www.isa-sociology.org/table_c.htm

** This refers to those who do not present a paper.

Those ISORECEA members who are willing to present a paper at the
Iaşiconference and have their membership fee paid for 2011-2012 will
need to pay
half of the listed membership amounts, in order to have their membership fee
paid also for 2013.

Payment details (account number, etc.) as well as the information about
accommodation and conference venue will be given in the second half of
December. In case of any earlier questions, please send a message to:
isorecea2012@gmail.com. For any further information about ISORECEA please
visit the website: http://www.isorecea.net/ or contact Dorota Hall, General
Secretary: dhall@ifispan.waw.pl.