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<P><FONT face=Garamond size=4>CALL FOR PAPERS<BR><BR>GERMANY AND TURKEY IN
INTERACTION: HISTORICAL & CROSSCULTURAL PERSPECTIVES ON RELIGIOUS IDENTITIES
AND INSTITUTIONS<BR><BR>A Conference jointly organized by Goethe Institute and
YTU, Center for Global Studies<BR><BR>10-12 September 2009, Yildiz Technical
University, İstanbul, Turkey<BR><BR>We are pleased to announce the jointly
organized Conference of Yildiz Technical University, Center for Global Studies
and Goethe Institute, titled "Germany and Turkey in Interaction:
Historical and Crosscultural Perspectives on Religious Identities and
Institutions."<BR><BR>The conference aims to identify the mutual influences
between the two countries specifically in the area of discourses regarding
the place of religion in the national identity and imagery, and the tensions
between the institutions that regulate religious life and those that regulate
secular citizenship.<BR><BR>The first part of the Conference will aim to develop
a historical perspective in mapping out the role of religion in the contested
process of state and nation building in both Turkey and Germany. The second part
will focus on the contemporary institutional structures and processes that
create, regulate, differentiate, and repress religious
identities.<BR><BR>Although the conference has a comparative framework,
individual papers should not necessarily strive to include a discussion of both
countries, as long as the paper addresses one of the conference
themes.<BR><BR>Papers are invited along two broad lines under the following
themes:<BR></FONT><FONT face=Garamond size=4><BR>A) The Role of Religion in
State and Nation Building: A comparative historical perspective on the role of
religion in the course of imagining and building the nation in Germany and
Turkey<BR><BR>- The role of religion in national identity and state
formation.<BR>- The role of religion in immigration and minority policies.<BR>-
The historical origins of essentialist elements in political culture.<BR><BR>B)
The Globalization of Religion: A comparative perspective on the transformation
of religious identities and institutions in the<BR>context of
supranationalization in Germany and Turkey.<BR><BR>- The German states' strategy
to make Islam part of the culture and society of the Federal Republic.<BR>- The
role of the EU and the ECtHR in the organization of the religious sphere.<BR>-
The place of nationalism and national identity in the strategies
of different Turkish Sunni migrant organizations, such as DiTiB, Millî
Görüş, the Süleymancı-linked Islamic Cultural Centres and the Gülen
Movement.<BR>- The stance of the big German churches regarding the significance
of religious belonging for the granting of equal citizenship rights.<BR>-
The position of Germany's Alevi community regarding national identity and the
perception of this attitude by Alevi organizations in Turkey.<BR>- The discourse
of Diyanet İşleri regarding the issues of national and religious belonging.<BR>-
The attitude of influential actors in Turkey's Muslim civil society, like the
Gülen network, toward religious minorities.<BR>- Legal obstacles before the
non-Muslim communities in Turkey for the acquisition of full citizenship
rights.<BR><BR>Those who wish to participate should submit their proposals no
later than June 15, 2009. The proposal should include: (a) an abstract of
250-400 words; (b) the institutional affiliation and position of the author/s;
(c) the contact information of the corresponding author: telephone number, fax
number, email address, postal address.<BR>Applicants may use the standard form
available at:<BR></FONT><A
href="http://www.kim-cgs.yildiz.edu.tr/conferences.html"><FONT face=Garamond
size=4>http://www.kim-cgs.yildiz.edu.tr/conferences.html</FONT></A><BR><FONT
face=Garamond size=4><BR>Funding will also be available for participants who do
not have other sources of funding to attend the conference. Please indicate your
need for travel or accommodation grants in the application form. Travel grants
will cover the cost of travel to and from Istanbul. Accommodation grants will
cover the cost of 4 nights' stay.<BR><BR>Please note that proposals will be
assessed by the organizing committe and submitters will be notified of the
outcome by June 30, 2009.<BR><BR>Please send inquiries and proposals to: <A
href="mailto:cgs@yildiz.edu.tr">cgs@yildiz.edu.tr</A> <BR><BR>Organizing
Committee: Professor Haldun Gülalp, Dr. Günter Seufert, Dr. Evren Balta
Paker<BR><BR><BR></P></FONT></BODY></HTML>