Società 2011

Religion and Capitalism – Call for Papers Interdisciplinary conference, University of Vienna, November 17-19, 2011

Calling the relationship between religious and capitalistic identity simply a “tension” would be apparently a euphemism. In every aspect of life, those two ideologies seem to clash and to be utterly irreconcilable. Religion, according to some, proofs repeatedly to be outdated, while others claim that capitalism has destroyed every possible demand for ethical or anthropological absoluteness. How can social and individual challenges in the field of tension between capitalism and religion be understood? Which role can religion play in a transforming society? Is religion really outdated, does its face have to change? Is capitalism really an opposite to religion or is it just a logical consequence and part of the western civilization that grew out of Christendom? How can the situation in Europe be compared with other parts of the world that are influenced by other religions or ideologies? What about capitalism and Islam or other beliefs? How do religions and belief-systems outside of Europe react to a global capitalism? How can the relationship between the religions be understood, given the overlap of Christendom and western capitalism? Might economic and religious developments be connected and be necessary for each other? Is capitalism a religion? Are there layers of social life where capitalism and religion can be enemies, and others where they can be cooperating? Is it possible after all to put them into a relationship or are they completely separated? Historically speaking, is religion older than capitalism? What’s the genesis of the two concepts and how did they influence each other? Can we derive any statements about the future looking at the history of religion and capitalism? Do these questions have actual relevance for the life of the people or are they just part of a merely academic discussion? Where are the realities of the people’s lifes between religion and capitalism? The Società accepts paper proposals in form of abstracts (about 500 words) for presentations of 20-30 minutes in combination with a short biography sent to the contact address (conference@societa.at) until April 30th, 2011 from every academic discipline about the following and other related topics:

What’s religion for capitalism? What’s capitalism for religion?

Capitalism as religion – religion as a way of life

Religion and society

Religion as critique of capitalism and vice versa

Absoluteness of religion/capitalism

Monotheism and capitalism

Non-monotheistic religions and capitalism

Historical developments of religion and capitalism

Perspectives for capitalism and religion

Ethical challenges for religion and capitalism

Meaning of religious texts in capitalism

Alternatives to capitalism and their view on religion

Relationship between capitalism, religion and art