The 8th conference by 夜色视频's Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue and the IIIT Chair for Islamic & Interfaith Studies once again brings together scholars from around the globe to share research on contemporary issues in religion and social sciences.听
Present Location: 夜色视频,听4245 East Ave., Rochester, NY 14618
When:听Tuesday to Thursday, May 27-29, 2025
Why this conference title:
Racism, Xenophobia, violence, ethnic and religious hate in our modern world have fractured individuals and communities. Humanity is desperately seeking healing in the midst of this hateful, violent atmosphere of our 21st century. We have addressed in our previous conferences issues like gender, wealth and poverty, environment, (de)legitimization of violence, mystical traditions and exclusion or inclusion.听 Our 8th conference in May 2025 will investigate and听 expand on the concepts and issues of 鈥渞ace鈥� in religious traditions. Our conferences always invite reflection on religions鈥� sacred texts 鈥� this time with an emphasis on 鈥渞ace鈥� and the construction of meaningful alternatives to the current polarized challenges of our violent world.
The modern meaning of race mostly appeared in western literature during sixteen and seventeen century literature defining people based on physical appearance like skin color, hair texture, facial features, and others. Ethnicity typically refers to cultural, social, and linguistic norms that a group of people share. For example, 'black' might be considered a 'race', but it is made up of many ethnic groups. common language, customs, food habits, stories of a common history and other values.听
Sacred texts refer to the stories of creation as well as differences among people in colors, languages, religions, and other cultural traits. The Abrahamic sacred texts refer to the creation of Adam and Eve, their offspring and the spread of humanity into racial, ethnic, and tribal categories with multiple languages, customs, beliefs, and other social values. The Indian originated faiths had a dual version of creation, the cosmic egg, and the creation of the cosmos through the sacrifice of the Primal Man, Mahapurush including the creation of caste system. The same is true about Chinese originated religions and other indigenous faiths how the universe was created and how racial and ethnic classes could be justified.
While racial and ethnic differences are natural and听 based on environmental conditions, but racism, ethnocentrism, tribalism, and nationalism are disgusting, and is an affront to human dignity. This conference will address the issue of race in its various aspects in world sacred texts and human contexts.
Race and pondering its significance produces interesting topics in light of our contemporary issues. While we hope to build upon the topics of our previous conferences, we would appreciate presentations that draw connections to the religions鈥� sacred texts. The conference title 鈥淩ace in Sacred Texts and Human Contexts鈥� offers a wide range of research options from religious interfaith perspectives.
听Panel Titles include but not limited to:
- Race, Racism, and Xenophobia
- Creation, Race, and Racism
- Race, Ethnicity and Ethnocentrism
- Race, Racism and Hateful Rhetoric
- Race, Tribe and Tribalism
- Race, Nation and Nationalism
- The Intersection of Race and Religions
- Race and Eugenics
- Interfaith Dialogue in Crisis: the Emergence of Ethno-Religious Nationalism in Religions
- Interfaith Dialogue as an Antidote Racism
Registration Cost:
- Presenter: $379.00 (includes meals and refreshments)
- Participant/Spouse: $249.00 (includes meals and refreshments)
- Room Night on Campus: $79.00 (if staying on campus)
Submitting a proposal:
The Conference is open to scholars in religious studies, theology, social sciences and humanities from US and abroad as presenters or participants.
- Abstracts should be no more than 550 words
- Send a 225-word resume that presents expertise in the area of your presentation
- Include your address, telephone number, and email address
- Last date to receive your proposal is December 31, 2024; earlier is preferred.听Notice of acceptances or otherwise will be sent by January 15, 2025
- Guidelines for full presentation will be emailed with acceptance of proposal
- Selected papers are published 听听
- Email questions to:听hickeycenter.conference@gmail.com
Book from Sacred Texts conference is available.
Past Conferences and Publications
2013:听Focused on the role of sacred texts in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, in uniting and dividing humanity. Selected papers from the conference were published in December 2014:听
2014:听Held in Istanbul. Focused on poverty and wealth in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Selected papers were published by Palgrave MacMillan in June 2016: .
2016:听Focused on nature and the environment in religions. Selected papers were published in January 2018:听.听A听 with Thomas Donlin-Smith, professor of religious studies at 夜色视频; Nathan Kollar, Hickey Center co-founder; and others explored how faith influences the environment.听Fall 2017 publication by Cambridge Scholars Publishing:听Nature and Environment in Contemporary Religious Contexts.
2017:听Focused on women and gender in religions. Selected papers were published in February 2019:
2018: Sacred Text and Human Context international conference is on Religions and (De)Legitimization of Violence on July 29-31, 2018 at 夜色视频. More than 50 scholarly papers are expected to be presented on the topic. The Conference Committee have selected 17 Papers for publication. The editing process are mostly compete and we are sending the manuscript to publishers. The book:(2021, Palgrave).
2021 Focused on Mystical Traditions: Approaches to Peaceful Coexistence was held virtually on May 24-25, 2021. Selected papers are submitted for publication. Palgrave McMillion is publishing it and hopefully it will be available by Feb.1, 2023.
2023: Conference on Inclusion or Exclusion: The Self and the Other in Sacred Texts and Human Contexts was held at 夜色视频 of Rochester on May 22-24,2023 and has been accepted by Palgrave for publication