CfP: Materiality of Religion in Central and Eastern Europe (University of Szeged | 24-25 September 2021) (original) (raw)

Since the material turn in the 1960’s, objects and the material evidence of religious communication became a crucial topic in the academic research of religions (Hicks 2010). The paradigmatic works of A. Appadurai (1986) and many others from cultural anthropology, archaeology and sociology (Miller 1987, Miller 2005) opened a paradigmatic perspective in the research of materiality of religion. Objects used in ritualisation, lived religious communication play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining a direct relationship between human and divine actors. Objects have also complex, social and cultural (imaginary) biographies and hierarchies too (Gosden 2005). From the relics and holy objects with divine power, to the instrumenta sacra (liturgical objects) and the mass produced religious souvenirs, materiality of religion represents today a rich and fascinating topic with numerous important contributions focusing on the role of objects in religious communication on various levels and contexts (Hutchings-McKenzie 2016, Morgan 2017). Materiality of religion is more, than just the descriptive analysis and catalogue-like presentation of objects: it is focusing on the social history of objects and their formative role in establishing and maintaining religious and social communication and representativeness in micro -, meso- and macro-spaces of sacralisation (Szabó 2021). This workshop aims to unite important, new and paradigmatic papers focusing on the materiality of religion in Central and Eastern Europe, a region, where this topic was not yet researched thoroughly and in details. The workshop is open for papers of young researchers (PhD and postdoctoral researchers) and senior academics focusing on materiality of Religion in Central and Eastern Europe (known also as Mitteleuropa or the Danube region) in any historical period. The workshop hosts around 25-30 participants. The proposals will be carefully selected by the organising and scientific committee.