The XXIII Quinquennial World Congress of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR), hosted by Jagiellonian University and the Polish Society for the Study of Religions, will take place in Kraków, Poland, August 24–30, 2025.
The concept of “religion” and the discipline of its study were both conceived in Europe and exported out of Europe. The process of exploring “otherness” contributed to the formation of European identities.
How did this complex process influence the way scholars understood the concept of “religion” and how they thought religions should be studied in Europe and around the world? A long tradition of thinkers and scholars have reflected on “the Other.” A critical reading of their work has allowed us to rethink orientalism, colonization, and decolonization from multiple distinct perspectives. This is leading to the globalization of the academic study of religion(s), which is still evolving in various ways. Simultaneously, many scholars evinced a sincere interest in transgressing geographical borders, cultural discourses, and social worlds. This is not just to posit a significant Other but to enlarge the knowledge of the human being past and present—of differences and commonalities in human ways of living and thinking. The goal of the Congress is to explore the interplay between these approaches in the interconnected worlds of the past and present.
While welcoming contributions on any topic in the academic study of religion, we encourage papers that explore this theme under the following headings.
1. Mapping
the unity and diversity of the discipline:
past, present, and future
The study of religion(s) as an academic discipline was created in framework of the secular European universities. The effort to understand the “Other” has resulted in the study of religion(s) as a human phenomenon, both in Europe and out of Europe. In this section, we would like to explore the variety of theoretical and methodological forms the study of religion(s) has taken. We shall explore the groundbreaking achievements of European scholars working on fundamental disciplinary concepts and methods. We shall also consider the same themes as they are reflected upon in different parts of the world and interrogate the complex connections between the processes of disciplinary identity formation and other historical, cultural, social, political, and institutional developments. What does it mean to decolonize the study of religion(s)? Could it be achieved?
2. Understanding
the concept of “religion”: uses and contexts
According to many scholars, the central categories of the study of religion (including “religion” and “world religions”) originated in the modern post-Reformation West due to specific historical and political processes. Has this indeed been the case? In this section, we would like to discuss the key concepts of our discipline, their political, cultural, social, and historical entanglements, as well as alternative, indigenous ways of conceptualizing formations customarily referred to by scholars as “religion”.
3. Connecting
the particular and the universal
The dynamic growth of area studies has influenced the study of religion(s). How do we imagine the relation between our context-specific data and more generalized approaches? How do specific, empirical case studies contribute to more generalized reflections about “religion”? How do we study religious life in practice? The development and differentiation of the cognitive science of religion raises similar issues related to culture and cognition. How do panhuman cognitive processes interact with implicit and explicit cultural learning to produce different religious and nonreligious worldviews and ways of life?
4. Crossing
the boundaries: approaches and methodologies
The rich variety of methodological perspectives in the study of religion may lead to the conclusion that there is no one method that is specific to our discipline. In this section, we would like to critically consider both classical and new methods available to scholars of religion. For example, how do the aims and methods of the study of religion(s) differ from those of other disciplines who engage religion as their subject matter? What does it actually mean to work trans- or inter-disciplinarily? How do we embrace and/or challenge the interdisciplinary ethos of religious studies? In addition, by adopting the “out of Europe” focus we want to open a space for examining approaches and methodologies that originated outside Western academia. Can a ‘dialogue’ between the academic study of religion and emic categories as well as indigenous methodologies contribute to our scholarship? Or, does such a ‘dialogue’ blur the contours of the academic study of religion(s)?
5. Engaging
scholarship and knowledge exchange
The study of religion(s) is increasingly related to identity politics, social activism, (im)balance of powers and authority, gender and more recently environmental and climate issues. In this section, we want to discuss these, and other approaches, often connected with engaged, activist scholarship. In what ways can scholars of religion(s) contribute to outreach and educational activity and to solving social and political problems? Or should scholars of religion(s) seek to balance or counter the ‘identity turn’? Or eschew engagement altogether?
6. Relating
religion with culture and society
The study of religion(s) has moved away from the conception of religion as a sui generis phenomenon. In light of this important shift, scholars in our discipline are called to reflect not only on new ways to conceptualize religion, spirituality, and secularity, but also to relate them to other domains of social and cultural life. In this section we want to discuss how “religious” or “spiritual” people, groups, institutions, discourses, and objects interact with sociocultural processes such as migration and urbanization, life realities such as marginalization and assimilation, and functional spheres such as politics, art, and the economy.
Rules, Regulations, and Deadlines
- Before proposing an open panel topic, a closed panel, a paper, or a roundtable, please read the information below.
- Deadlines summary
- Open panels:Submission 15th Oct. 2023 – 15th Dec. 2023; Notification by 1st Feb. 2024
- Closed panels:Submission 15th Feb. 2024 – 1st Dec. 2024; Notification by 5th Jan. 2025
- Roundtables:Submission 15th Feb. 2024 – 1st Dec. 2024; Notification by 5th Jan. 2025
- Individual papers:Submission 15th Feb. 2024 – 1st Dec. 2024; Notification by 5th Jan. 2025
The 2025 IAHR World Congress in Kraków is an in-person only event. The organizers do not provide the possibility to present a paper or participate in the Congress virtually.
The official languages of the IAHR Congress 2025 in Kraków are English and French. A proposed abstract should be written in the language of the presentation.
The 2025 IAHR World Congress welcomes the following presentation formats:
- Open panelswith Individual Submissions
- Closedpanels
- Individual papers
- Roundtables
All individual papers and suggestions for open and closed panels and roundtables are subject to review before acceptance. You can read more about the review process below.
Each participant can give only ONE individual paper.
Each participant can convene only ONE panel – open or closed. There is no restriction on the number of closed panels in which a participant can serve as a respondent or discussant.
Open Panels
Open panels are convened by one or more participants who openly invite scholars interested in a particular topic to present a paper. The announcement of an open panel acts as a call for papers. The conveners of the open panel decide which papers, previously accepted by the Congress committee, are included in the panel. Papers not accepted in panel will still be included in the Congress and will be treated as individual submissions (see below).
Each open panel comprises a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4 papers. Presenters of each paper are allowed 15–20 minutes (depending on the number of participants) for their presentation. The duration of a panel is 90 minutes. Open panels which receive a large number of submissions are permitted to organize a maximum of 5 panel sessions, each with a maximum of 4 papers.
Topics of open panels must be consistent with the scientific theme of the congress, “OUT OF EUROPE: Studying Religion(s) in Interconnected Worlds” and fit one of its subthemes, i.e.:
- MAPPING the unity and diversity of the discipline: past, present, and future
- UNDERSTANDING the concept of “religion”: uses and contexts
- CONNECTING the particular and the universal
- CROSSING the boundaries: approaches and methodologies
- ENGAGING scholarship and knowledge exchange
- RELATING religion with culture and society
Proposals for open panel topics must include a panel title (no more than 20 words) and a panel description of 200 to 250 words. The description must highlight the significance of the topic for the Congress, provide the key methodological or conceptual ideas of the panel, and detail how they relate to the Congress’ main theme and to the selected subtheme.
Deadlines:
- Submissions open: 15th October 2023, rolling admission
- Submissions close: 15th December 2023
- Notifications of acceptance: notification within three months; 1st February 2024, at the latest
Individual Submissions to Open Panels
Individual submissions to open panels are subject to the same rules as individual paper submissions. In addition, they specify the desire to be included to a specific open panel. The inclusion of a paper in an open panel is at the discretion of the conveners.
NB: Individual papers can, Åbut must not necessarily be part of an open panel.
Deadlines:
- Submissions open: 15th February 2024, rolling admission
- Submissions close: 1st December 2024
- Notification of acceptance: notification within three months; 5th January 2025, at the latest
Closed Panels
Closed panels are convened by one or more participants and include, from the beginning, the complete list of scholars presenting papers in the panel.
Closed panels must be consistent with the scientific theme of the Congress and in line with one of its subthemes. The closed panels consist of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4 panelists presenting a paper, with a panel convener as the chair. Further responders or discussants are allowed. The duration of a panel is 90 minutes. The conveners of the panel must contact panelists and prepare a single proposal for the entire panel.
The panel conveners must submit a title of no more than 20 words and description of the panel of 200 to 250 words; the complete list of participants, including the panel chair and all presenters and discussants (if any). The panel conveners are tasked with collecting and submitting the abstracts for all papers in the panel as part of their single proposal. The paper abstracts, of 200 to 250, must include the title of the paper (of no more than 20 words), the name of the presenter, his/her academic affiliation, and 3–6 keywords.
Deadlines:
- Submissions open: 15th February 2024, rolling admission
- Submissions close: 1st December 2024
- Notification of acceptance: notification within three months; 5th January 2025, at the latest
Individual Papers
Scholars are welcome to submit individual papers. They must be consistent with the scientific theme of the congress and fit one of its subthemes. Each presenter is allowed 15 minutes for their presentation.
Proposals for individual papers should include the name of the presenter, their academic affiliation, the title of their paper (of no more than 20 words), an abstract of 200 to 250 words, and 3–6 keywords.
Deadlines:
- Submissions open: 15th February 2024, rolling admission
- Submissions close: 1st December 2024
- Notification of acceptance: notification within three months; 5th January 2025, at the latest
Roundtables
Roundtables are pre-arranged sessions in which a group of up to 5 scholars discusses topics of general academic interest consistent with the scientific theme of the Congress and in line with its subthemes. The duration of a roundtable is 90 minutes. It may contain short, 5–10 minute presentations, but the general goal must be to spark a vibrant discussion among the panelists and with the audience.
The convener of a roundtable must contact the discussants and prepare a single proposal for the entire session. The proposal for a roundtable session must contain a title of no more than 20 words, a 200 to 250 word description of the roundtable topic, 3–6 keywords, the name and academic affiliation of the chair, and a complete list of participants, including their names and academic affiliation.
Deadlines:
- Submissions open: 15th February 2024, rolling admission
- Submissions close: 1st December 2024
- Notification of acceptance: notification within three months; 5th January 2025, at the latest
Review procedure
Each submission for an open panel, closed panel, individual paper, or roundtable is reviewed for its scientific merit by two members of the Academic Programme Commitee. As a result of the evaluation a proposal is accepted/rejected the author will be informed about the decision within the above-mentioned deadlines.
Submit an abstract : https://iahr2025.org/call-for-panels-papers/submit-an-abstract/