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Books by Erin Wilson
For many years, the assumption has been that religion would become less important in European soc... more For many years, the assumption has been that religion would become less important in European society as modernity advanced and that the rest of the world would eventually follow this same course. Recent events have made this idea more difficult to maintain. While levels of religious participation and belief have fallen off in Western and Northern European societies, in other parts of the continent and among the ever-growing number of immigrants from the global south, religion remains as important a part of public and private life as ever, if not more so. Furthermore, European secularism appears to be more of a global exception than the rule, as the public influence of religion remains high in the equally ‘developed’ United States.
Many of these dynamics have been well documented in contemporary academic fields. But these findings have not yet made their way beyond the confines of academic journals into the policy and practitioner discourses where they could have a profound effect. In order to help remedy this state of affairs, the proposed volume will present recent academic research concerning the role of religion in contemporary European society in a way that is accessible to policymakers, practitioners, and students and scholars of religious studies, politics and international affairs. The volume’s contributions are organized around three main themes: 1) demographics and dynamics; 2) the public sphere; and 3) relevant global issues. Several concise articles that analyze issues of pressing concern will be presented on each theme. Each article will be written by a leading academic contributor and will be based upon well-established findings. Short interviews with policymakers and practitioners that give their takes on the issues and debates will be interspersed throughout. The aim of the different sections is to i) describe what we know about the role of religion in relation to each of these issues and ii) to explain how this is relevant to contemporary European public concerns. Part of the broader goal of the volume as a whole is to promote a more profound level of religious literacy amongst policymakers and practitioners and to contribute to challenging prevalent ideas about the secular nature of the modern public sphere.
Papers by Erin Wilson
Routledge eBooks, Oct 23, 2019
Religion and World Politics
"'Religion' is sometimes said to be the root of international conflict; and sometimes a resource ... more "'Religion' is sometimes said to be the root of international conflict; and sometimes a resource for peacemaking. To some, 'religion' underlies human rights abuses; to others, it is the foundation of universal respect and love. But what, actually, is it? Do all these explanations refer to the same thing, or does 'religion' mean different things in different contexts? As Erin K. Wilson demonstrates, such questions have real-world, sometimes even life-and-death, implications. With her trademark clarity, Wilson spells out the policy, legal and international relations implications of how we understand religion, and why it matters".
Major international agencies including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ... more Major international agencies including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have moved towards partnering with faith-based actors to support displaced persons. Despite this, concerns – and suspicions – remain about the nature and impact of faith-based responses to displacement, often stemming from negative assumptions about the relationship between religion and gender. Based on her policy brief launched at the UN Refugee Summit in September, Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh outlines how we can overcome these often flawed assumptions.
Religious entities play significant roles in the current forced migration crisis. These roles inc... more Religious entities play significant roles in the current forced migration crisis. These roles include innovative and experience based ideas to address flawed aspects of the humanitarian system, overall advocacy on behalf of refugees and migrants based on humanitarian and spiritual principles, direct action in refugee camps and communities, action in communities that refugees and migrants flee, and support for refugee integration in host countries, including explicit efforts to promote social cohesion and address trauma. Further, assumptions about religion and the religious identity of refugees and migrants play an influential role in societal and policy debates surrounding the crisis, particularly in relation to security and violent extremism. Broadly, however, religious factors and contributions are poorly understood and insufficiently taken into account by policy makers and in think tank analyses of these (among other) issues. In each area of measures to increase religious engagem...
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for bri... more All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for brief excerpts in reviews, without prior permission of the publisher.
Journal of Religion in Europe, 2018
This article analyses the public significance of The Passion—a televised retelling of the Passion... more This article analyses the public significance of The Passion—a televised retelling of the Passion of Jesus, featuring pop songs and celebrities in the Dutch public sphere. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the authors demonstrate how performances like The Passion offer spaces in which the Dutch can reflect publicly on important identity issues, such as the role of Christian heritage in a supposedly secular age. The article contributes to deeper knowledge of how Dutch late-modern society deals with its secular self-understanding.
Politics, Religion & Ideology, 2014
Reflectivist scholarship in international relations (IR) has recently witnessed two significant ‘... more Reflectivist scholarship in international relations (IR) has recently witnessed two significant ‘turns’ in critique and theorizing – the aesthetic turn and the postsecular turn.11On the aesthetic t...
The current refugee crisis sweeping Europe, and much of the world, closely intersects with largel... more The current refugee crisis sweeping Europe, and much of the world, closely intersects with largely neglected questions of religion. Moving beyond discussions of religious differences, what can we learn about the interaction between religion and migration? Do faith-based organisations play a role within the refugee regime? How do religious traditions and perspectives challenge and inform current practices and policies towards refugees? This volume gathers together expertise from academics and practitioners, as well as migrant voices, in order to investigate these interconnections. It shows that reconsidering our understanding and approaches to both could generate creative alternative responses to the growing global migration crisis. Beginning with a discussion of the secular/religious divide - and how it shapes dominant policy practices and counter approaches to displacement and migration - the book then goes on to explore and deconstruct the dominant discourse of the Muslim refugee ...
The growing importance of religious identity in the politics of migration and refugees has led to... more The growing importance of religious identity in the politics of migration and refugees has led to increasingly harsh immigration policies. Erin K. Wilson and Luca Mavelli argue that the focus needs to shift from religious identity to solidarity with fellow human beings.
In this chapter we will explore various aspects of contemporary globalization, including some of ... more In this chapter we will explore various aspects of contemporary globalization, including some of the normative views that exist in academia and broader public discourse that attempt to shape how we think about globalization and direct how processes of globalization occur. In the first section, we survey some of the main theories and debates about globalization, ranging from those who view globalization as a highly original, unique phenomenon, to those who see nothing new in globalization and still others who doubt the existence of globalization. We then go on to outline some of the key dimensions of globalization. While much popular discourse about globalization focuses on its economic aspects, we highlight that globalization is multi-faceted and impacts numerous areas of global life
For many years, the assumption has been that religion would become less important in European soc... more For many years, the assumption has been that religion would become less important in European society as modernity advanced and that the rest of the world would eventually follow this same course. Recent events have made this idea more difficult to maintain. While levels of religious participation and belief have fallen off in Western and Northern European societies, in other parts of the continent and among the ever-growing number of immigrants from the global south, religion remains as important a part of public and private life as ever, if not more so. Furthermore, European secularism appears to be more of a global exception than the rule, as the public influence of religion remains high in the equally ‘developed’ United States.
Many of these dynamics have been well documented in contemporary academic fields. But these findings have not yet made their way beyond the confines of academic journals into the policy and practitioner discourses where they could have a profound effect. In order to help remedy this state of affairs, the proposed volume will present recent academic research concerning the role of religion in contemporary European society in a way that is accessible to policymakers, practitioners, and students and scholars of religious studies, politics and international affairs. The volume’s contributions are organized around three main themes: 1) demographics and dynamics; 2) the public sphere; and 3) relevant global issues. Several concise articles that analyze issues of pressing concern will be presented on each theme. Each article will be written by a leading academic contributor and will be based upon well-established findings. Short interviews with policymakers and practitioners that give their takes on the issues and debates will be interspersed throughout. The aim of the different sections is to i) describe what we know about the role of religion in relation to each of these issues and ii) to explain how this is relevant to contemporary European public concerns. Part of the broader goal of the volume as a whole is to promote a more profound level of religious literacy amongst policymakers and practitioners and to contribute to challenging prevalent ideas about the secular nature of the modern public sphere.
Routledge eBooks, Oct 23, 2019
Religion and World Politics
"'Religion' is sometimes said to be the root of international conflict; and sometimes a resource ... more "'Religion' is sometimes said to be the root of international conflict; and sometimes a resource for peacemaking. To some, 'religion' underlies human rights abuses; to others, it is the foundation of universal respect and love. But what, actually, is it? Do all these explanations refer to the same thing, or does 'religion' mean different things in different contexts? As Erin K. Wilson demonstrates, such questions have real-world, sometimes even life-and-death, implications. With her trademark clarity, Wilson spells out the policy, legal and international relations implications of how we understand religion, and why it matters".
Major international agencies including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ... more Major international agencies including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have moved towards partnering with faith-based actors to support displaced persons. Despite this, concerns – and suspicions – remain about the nature and impact of faith-based responses to displacement, often stemming from negative assumptions about the relationship between religion and gender. Based on her policy brief launched at the UN Refugee Summit in September, Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh outlines how we can overcome these often flawed assumptions.
Religious entities play significant roles in the current forced migration crisis. These roles inc... more Religious entities play significant roles in the current forced migration crisis. These roles include innovative and experience based ideas to address flawed aspects of the humanitarian system, overall advocacy on behalf of refugees and migrants based on humanitarian and spiritual principles, direct action in refugee camps and communities, action in communities that refugees and migrants flee, and support for refugee integration in host countries, including explicit efforts to promote social cohesion and address trauma. Further, assumptions about religion and the religious identity of refugees and migrants play an influential role in societal and policy debates surrounding the crisis, particularly in relation to security and violent extremism. Broadly, however, religious factors and contributions are poorly understood and insufficiently taken into account by policy makers and in think tank analyses of these (among other) issues. In each area of measures to increase religious engagem...
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for bri... more All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for brief excerpts in reviews, without prior permission of the publisher.
Journal of Religion in Europe, 2018
This article analyses the public significance of The Passion—a televised retelling of the Passion... more This article analyses the public significance of The Passion—a televised retelling of the Passion of Jesus, featuring pop songs and celebrities in the Dutch public sphere. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the authors demonstrate how performances like The Passion offer spaces in which the Dutch can reflect publicly on important identity issues, such as the role of Christian heritage in a supposedly secular age. The article contributes to deeper knowledge of how Dutch late-modern society deals with its secular self-understanding.
Politics, Religion & Ideology, 2014
Reflectivist scholarship in international relations (IR) has recently witnessed two significant ‘... more Reflectivist scholarship in international relations (IR) has recently witnessed two significant ‘turns’ in critique and theorizing – the aesthetic turn and the postsecular turn.11On the aesthetic t...
The current refugee crisis sweeping Europe, and much of the world, closely intersects with largel... more The current refugee crisis sweeping Europe, and much of the world, closely intersects with largely neglected questions of religion. Moving beyond discussions of religious differences, what can we learn about the interaction between religion and migration? Do faith-based organisations play a role within the refugee regime? How do religious traditions and perspectives challenge and inform current practices and policies towards refugees? This volume gathers together expertise from academics and practitioners, as well as migrant voices, in order to investigate these interconnections. It shows that reconsidering our understanding and approaches to both could generate creative alternative responses to the growing global migration crisis. Beginning with a discussion of the secular/religious divide - and how it shapes dominant policy practices and counter approaches to displacement and migration - the book then goes on to explore and deconstruct the dominant discourse of the Muslim refugee ...
The growing importance of religious identity in the politics of migration and refugees has led to... more The growing importance of religious identity in the politics of migration and refugees has led to increasingly harsh immigration policies. Erin K. Wilson and Luca Mavelli argue that the focus needs to shift from religious identity to solidarity with fellow human beings.
In this chapter we will explore various aspects of contemporary globalization, including some of ... more In this chapter we will explore various aspects of contemporary globalization, including some of the normative views that exist in academia and broader public discourse that attempt to shape how we think about globalization and direct how processes of globalization occur. In the first section, we survey some of the main theories and debates about globalization, ranging from those who view globalization as a highly original, unique phenomenon, to those who see nothing new in globalization and still others who doubt the existence of globalization. We then go on to outline some of the key dimensions of globalization. While much popular discourse about globalization focuses on its economic aspects, we highlight that globalization is multi-faceted and impacts numerous areas of global life
Erica Resende and Dovile Budryte (eds), Memory and Trauma in International Relations (New York: Routledge), 2014
The purpose of this chapter is to explore these political linkages between trauma, memory and apo... more The purpose of this chapter is to explore these political linkages between trauma, memory and apologies. We do so by highlighting the crucial religious dimensions of apologies. We explore the reasons why public apologies play a particularly influential role in breaking the vicious cycle that can arise after a major conflict and trauma. We argue that the performative dimensions of apologies are the key to understanding why they play such an influential role in coming to terms with traumatic events. It is not by accident that religious apologies were usually performed as part of services and rituals of atonement. These performative dimensions rendered the act of offering forgiveness far more powerful. It remained enshrined in the memory of those attending the service. And so it can be in politics: an apology is remembered as much by how it is given as by what it contains. It is through its performative dimension that an apology is most likely to become an important collective memory, influencing both collective representations of the conflict and how future generations deal with its political residues.
At its heart, the secular political project is bound up with questions of justice and equality. I... more At its heart, the secular political project is bound up with questions of justice and equality. In democratic societies that are highly diverse and plural with regard to both immanent and transcendent worldviews, secularism in its various guises attempts to manage the relationship between these competing worldviews in order to provide the best circumstances for the pursuit of the common good. Its purpose, in its ideal form, is to protect religious believers from undue coercion and influence from the state, while at the same time preventing one religion from having greater power and control over public life than others.
Memory and Trauma in International Politics, edited by Erica Resende and Dovile Budryte, 2013
Apologies play a central role in the process of reconciliation. Societies that experienced a maj... more Apologies play a central role in the process of reconciliation. Societies that experienced a major conflict often struggle to recreate a stable order. The memory of trauma can linger for decades and give rise to new animosities and conflicts. We argue that public apologies play an influential role in breaking this vicious cycle, particularly when the apology contains a symbolic visual dimension. In such cases the act of apology can become an important collective memory itself, influencing political representations of the conflict and thus the manner in which subsequent generations view and engage the issues at stake. We examine several iconic visual apologies. One of them is how the West German chancellor, Willy Brandt, travelled to Poland in 1970 and silently kneeled before the monument marking the Warsaw Ghetto uprising of 1943. This visual apology created international headlines and was much discussed in both Poland and Germany. To this day the photographs of this gesture remain influential, more so perhaps than any verbal repentance of the Holocaust.
Hospitality and World Politics, 2013
This file is to be used only for a purpose specified by Palgrave Macmillan, such as checking proo... more This file is to be used only for a purpose specified by Palgrave Macmillan, such as checking proofs, preparing an index, reviewing, endorsing or planning coursework/other institutional needs. You may store and print the file and share it with others helping you with the specified purpose, but under no circumstances may the file be distributed or otherwise made accessible to any other third parties without the express prior permission of Palgrave Macmillan. Please contact rights@palgrave.com if you have any queries regarding use of the file.
The current refugee crisis sweeping Europe, and much of the world, closely intersects with largel... more The current refugee crisis sweeping Europe, and much of the world, closely intersects with largely neglected questions of religion. Moving beyond discussions of religious differences, what can we learn about the interaction between religion and migration? Do faith-based organisations play a role within the refugee regime? How do religious traditions and perspectives challenge and inform current practices and policies towards refugees? This volume gathers together expertise from academics and practitioners, as well as migrant voices, in order to investigate these interconnections. It shows that reconsidering our understanding and approaches to both could generate creative alternative responses to the growing global migration crisis. Beginning with a discussion of the secular/religious divide - and how it shapes dominant policy practices and counter approaches to displacement and migration - the book then goes on to explore and deconstruct the dominant discourse of the Muslim refugee as a threat to the secular/Christian West. The discussion continues with an exploration of Christian and Islamic traditions of hospitality, showing how they challenge current practices of securitization of migration, and concludes with an investigation of the largely unexplored relation between gender, religion and migration. Bringing together leading and emerging voices from across academia and practice, in the fields of International Relations, migration studies, philosophy, religious studies and gender studies, this volume offers a unique take on one of the most pressing global problems of our time.