Call for Papers

Date: June 25 – 27, 2019

Venue: Munster (Westphalia), Germany

Organizers: Dr. Sarah Demmrich (University of Munster) & Prof. Dr. Ulrich Riegel (University of Siegen)

Abstract Deadline: January 15, 2019

The concept of religiosity as a highly individual aspect of religion and its research was shaped in Protestant circles in the Western context (Belzen, 2015). It inspired a huge body of research and further developments in the psychology of religion, the sociology of religion, and theology. In non-Western contexts, however, this concept has been proven only partially effective for the description and measuring of religiosity. This observation raises the question if research on religiosity is a science of Western Christianity (Cutting & Walsh 2008; Hill & Hood, 1999). Even within the Western context the present concepts and instruments are only partially applicable to measure religiosity in highly religious individuals adequately. This observation raises the question if the contemporary conceptualizations and operationalization of religiosity are too strongly oriented towards the ideal of an enlightened and individualized belief.

In light of these two observations, the Munster conference discusses the established concepts of religiosity and aims to expand them by alternative concepts where appropriate.

More information on: University of Munster’s Website