Cultural Pluralism Revisited: Religious and Linguistic Freedoms
The Irmgard Coninx Foundation is a non-profit-organization aiming at the promotion of public debates on issues relating to transnationality. In order to achieve this goal the Irmgard Coninx Foundation - in association with the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB), Humboldt-University Berlin, and the European Association for Education Law and Policy (ELA) - organizes these Berlin Roundtables on Transnationality and awards three-month research grants among the participants of the Roundtables.
Berlin Workshops
Based on an international essay competition, approximately 40 applicants will be invited to discuss their research and ideas with prominent scholars in Berlin. The Irmgard Coninx Foundation will cover travel to and accommodation in Berlin.
Irmgard Coninx Research Grant
An international jury will award two three-month fellowships to be used for research at the WZB, the Humboldt-University and the Berlin State Library. The grant includes a monthly stipend of EUR 1,000 plus accommodation in Berlin.
The Twelfth Berlin Roundtables
In the tradition of previous Berlin Roundtables held on human rights and religious identities, the Twelfth Berlin Roundtables on Transnationality will focus on “Cultural Pluralism Revisited: Religious and Linguistic Freedoms” and will be held from 7 – 11 April 2010 at the Social Science Research Center Berlin.
Discussions will take place in two workshops chaired by José Casanova (Professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Georgetown University and head of the Program on Globalization, Religion and the Secular at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs) and by Fernand de Varennes (Professor of Law at Murdoch University, Australia, and former Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Human Rights and the Prevention of Ethnic Conflict).
Evening Lectures
The workshops will be accompanied by evening lectures by
Paul Gilroy, Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science
Feridun Zaimoglu, German writer and journalist
José Casanova, Professor of Sociology at Georgetown University and head of the Berkley Center’s Program on Globalization, Religion and the Secular
Competition Details
The competition is open to scholars (maximum 5 years after Ph.D.) as well as practicioners and journalists with relevant backgrounds. Essays may address empirical research and/or theoretical issues related to the topic.
For further details, please see the background paper, available as pdf.
Deadline for essay submission: January 15, 2010
Members of the jury are:
• Susanne Baer, Professor of Public Law and Gender Studies, Humboldt University Berlin
• Sabine Berking, Research Associate, Irmgard Coninx Foundation
• Marian Burchardt, Researcher, Department of Cultural Studies, University of Leipzig
• José Casanova, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Georgetown University
• Ingo Richter, Professor Emeritus of Law and Chairman of the Irmgard Coninx Foundation
• Stefanie Schäfer, Research Associate, Irmgard Coninx Foundation
• Gila Stopler, Assistant Professor of Law, Academic Center of Law and Business, Israel
• Reetta Toivannen, Senior Researcher, Centre of Excellence in Global Governance Research, University of Helsinki, Finland
• Fernand de Varennes, Professor of Law, Murdoch University, Australia