2013
IAHR XXI World Congress, Ehrfurt, Germany, 23-29 August, 2015
The Call for Panels and Papers for the XXI IAHR World Congress, on Dynamic of Religions Past and Present, 23-29 August 2015, at Ehrfurt, Germany, has been opened at: http://www.iahr2015.org/iahr/index.html. The deadline for submission of proposals is Sunday, September 14, 2014. Panel and Papers Registration is open now at: http://www.iahr2015.org/iahr-registration/panel-registration.php.
2013
Islam in Africa, International Conference, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, Thursday November 28, 2013
The Think Tank for the Research of Islam and Muslims in Africa together with the Ezri Center for Iran & Persian Gulf Studies and the University of Haifa will be hosting at the University of Haifa on November 28, 2013, a conference titled “An International Conference on Islam in Africa”. The conference will deal with four main topics: Israel and Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Nile Basin, Islam and Society in Africa, and Islamic Radicalism in Africa – Sunni and Shi’ite Dimensions.
For further information, visit http://muslimsinafrica.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/islam-in-africa-web.jpg
2013
Tenure-track assistant professor in Islam, Department of Religious Studies, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Position announcement: Religious Studies, Assistant Professor in Islam
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Religious Studies, invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Islam to begin August 2014. PhD in a relevant field and teaching experience are preferred, but ABDs in a relevant field in the final stages of completing their dissertations will be considered. Area of expertise is open to any historical period and geographic location. Possible areas of specialization include but are not limited to: textual and historical studies of Islam; anthropological studies of Islamic practice; issues of gender, ethnicity, and globalization; the emergence of new forms of Islam. Preferred applicants will have a background in Religious Studies and a knowledge of Arabic and other languages relevant to their research in Islam. The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the university. Salary will be competitive.
Please send a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a writing sample, and three letters of recommendation to Rachelle Scott, Search Committee Chair, Department of Religious Studies, The University of Tennessee, 501 McClung Tower, Knoxville, TN 37996-0450 or to rscott@utk.edu.
Review of applications begins October 4, 2013 for applicants wanting to be considered for a preliminary interview at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion in Baltimore, and will continue until the position is filled. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admissions without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. Eligibility and other terms and conditions of employment benefits at The University of Tennessee are governed by laws and regulations of the State of Tennessee, and this non-discrimination statement is intended to be consistent with those laws and regulations.
In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the University. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), ADA (disability), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone (865) 974-2498 (V/TTY available) or 974-2440. Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity.
2013
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship Islam in Context, Dept. of Religion, Williams College (Williamstown, MA 01267 USA)
The Department of Religion at Williams College seeks to appoint a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Islam in Context, beginning in the fall of 2014. We seek someone whose expertise in Islam will also address the religious complexities of either Africa, South Asia, or Southeast Asia, in their historical, social, and political contexts. So, for example, a candidate might teach courses on the interactions of Islam with Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and/or indigenous religious traditions in these parts of the world. We especially welcome candidates whose teaching and research features post-colonial/decolonizing approaches. The successful candidate will teach one course per semester. Ph.D. must be in hand or expected by September 2014; new Ph.D.s are especially encouraged to apply. The Fellow will be included in the activities of the Religion Department as a regular junior faculty member. They will work closely with a faculty mentor; participate in Williams’ First3 Program; and receive feedback on pedagogical skills and teaching effectiveness through our standard evaluation procedures. The fellowship includes a salary of $43,500 plus benefits and funds to support research and travel. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States, or expect to pursue a teaching career in the United States. The position is made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
For further details and for application, visit http://dean-faculty.williams.edu/graduate-fellowships-2/mellon-post-doctoral-fellowship/
2013
Call for Papers: Public Religion and Issues of Homosexuality in Contemporary Africa
—Call for Papers—
Public Religion and Issues of Homosexuality in Contemporary Africa
edited by Ezra Chitando (University of Zimbabwe) & Adriaan van Klinken (University of Leeds)
Issues of same-sex relationships and gay and lesbian rights are subject of public and political controversy in many African societies today. Frequently, these controversies receive widespread attention both locally and globally. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill currently pending in the Ugandan parliament is a well-known example, but many other examples could be given. In the international media, these cases tend to be presented as revealing a deeply-rooted homophobia in Africa fuelled by religious and cultural traditions on the continent. But so far little energy is expended in understanding these controversies in all their complexity and the critical role religion plays in them. This book volume seeks to address this gap and to enhance such an understanding, exploring issues of religion and homosexuality from various disciplinary perspectives, including religious studies, anthropology and theology, informed by critical social and cultural theory such as postcolonial and queer perspectives.
As editors we share, on the one hand, a concern about the apparent rise of anti-homosexual rhetoric and politics in African contexts, and on the other hand about the image of a generally homophobic Africa that is popular in the West (Awondo, Geschiere & Reid 2012). Through this book project we aim to explore how and why issues related to homosexuality recently have become so central in public and political debates in Africa, examining the trajectories of the ‘politicisation’ of the issue (Awondo 2010) in different countries in relation to both global discourses and politics and local social, cultural and political factors and developments. The project particularly examines the role of religion (religious beliefs, worldviews and sensitivities, sacred texts, religious leaders and organisations, faith communities, faith-based activism, etcetera) in these dynamics—a role that most likely is more ambiguous and multifaceted than often is suggested. We propose a focus on the notion of ‘public religion’, as this enables an analysis of the conflation of religion with politics and public life that is characteristic of the configuration of religion—specifically the major religions, Christianity, Islam and traditional or indigenous religions—in contemporary African societies (Ellis & Ter Haar 2007; Englund 2011) and that is clearly reflected in the debates about homosexuality. Not only does the notion of public religion mean that religion in Africa is highly visible in public and political spheres, but also that it relates in dynamic and complex ways to secular regimes of knowledge, power and politics both nationally and globally—something that is particularly relevant to the contemporary debates about issues related to homosexuality in Africa (Van Klinken 2013; Togarasei & Chitando 2011).
We envision this project as contributing, on the one hand, to the critical analysis and deconstruction of the various myths and popular perceptions—both in Africa and in the West—concerning homosexuality and religion in Africa, and of the local and global dynamics of power in which African debates on the issue are entangled, and on the other hand, to the rethinking of issues of homosexuality from African religious perspectives in relation to broader questions of human rights and social justice (Epprecht 2013).
As editors we solicit papers that either present case studies on public religion and controversies about homosexuality in specific African countries, or explore key themes and perspectives relevant to the understanding of dynamics and debates concerning religion and homosexuality in Africa more generally. We consider young African scholars as important contributors to the proposed debate and would like to encourage them to submit a proposal.
The book is likely to be published in the new Ashgate series Religion in Modern Africa edited by Professor James L. Cox (University of Edinburgh) and Professor Gerrie ter Haar (Institute of Social Studies, The Hague).
Submitting a proposal
Proposals for contributions can be submitted to the editors (see email addresses below) until 31 October 2013. Proposals should include the title, an abstract (400-500 words) and a biographic statement indicating the author’s affiliation, research interests and key publications (100 words).
Authors will be informed about acceptance by November 2013. The deadline for full versions of articles will be July 2014, after which they will go through a process of review and revision.
The editors
Ezra Chitando is Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, Classics and Philosophy of the University of Zimbabwe. He also serves as theological consultant for the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA) of the World Council of Churches. He has widely published on religion in Africa, in recent years mostly focusing on issues of religion and HIV/AIDS and religion and masculinities. Email: chitsa21@yahoo.com.
Adriaan van Klinken is Lecturer in African Christianity in the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science at the University of Leeds (UK). His research focuses on Christianity and issues of gender, (homo)sexuality and public life in Africa. He recently published Transforming Masculinities in African Christianity: Gender Controversies in Times of AIDS (Ashgate 2013). Email: a.vanKlinken@leeds.ac.uk.
Bibliography
Awondo, Patrick. 2010, “The Politicisation of Sexuality and Rise of Homosexual Movements in Post-colonial Cameroon”, Review of African Political Economy, vol. 37, no. 125, pp. 315-328.
Awondo, Patrick, Geschiere, Peter & Reid, Graeme. 2012, “Homophobic Africa? Toward A More Nuanced View”, African Studies Review, vol. 55, no. 3, pp. 145-168.
Englund, Harri. 2011, Christianity and Public Culture in Africa, Athens: Ohio University Press.
Epprecht, Marc. 2013, Sexuality and Social Justice in Africa: Rethinking Homophobia and Forging Resistance, London: Zed Books.
Togarasei, Lovemore & Chitando, Ezra. 2011, “‘Beyond the Bible’: Critical Reflections on the Contributions of Cultural and Postcolonial Studies on Same-Sex Relationships in Africa”, Journal of Gender and Religion in Africa, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 109-125.
Ellis, Stephen & Ter Haar, Gerrie. 2007, “Religion and Politics: Taking African Epistemologies Seriously”, Journal of Modern African Studies, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 385-401.
Van Klinken, Adriaan S. 2013, “Gay Rights, the Devil and the End Times: Public Religion and the Enchantment of the Homosexuality Debate in Zambia”,Religion,http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0048721X.2013.765631#
