Recognizing Religion: Politics, History, Critique

Organised by

• Department of Political and Social Sciences

The Swiss Chair and the International Relations Working Group have invited Maria Birnbaum for this book manuscript workshop that discusses her forthcoming monograph Recognizing Religion: Politics, History, Critique (Cambridge University Press) before its final revisions. The book argues that the concept of religion has shaped global politics for centuries and in return has been shaped by it. It follows the trace of this controversial and elusive concept through the late stages of empire and early years of decolonialisation of India and Palestine and argues that international political theory cannot think about or with religion as long as the history of the concept remains unchartered. In order for International Political scholarship to recognise religion, it needs to understand how the concept became recognisable as such, that is, understand its global knowledge politics. The workshop will discuss the theoretical framework, as well as two empirical chapters, with the respective sessions being introduced by EUI Professors Olivier Roy and Stefano Guzzini.