XIV Jornadas Ciencias Sociales y Religión Mundos al límite: religión, performatividad y futuros posibles
The XIV Jornadas Ciencias Sociales y Religión, titled "Mundos al límite: religión, performatividad y futuros posibles," is an academic conference focusing on the intricate relationship between religion, performativity, and the shaping of possible futures. Hosted in Buenos Aires, ARG, this event brings together scholars to explore how religious practices and beliefs manifest in social performance and contribute to or challenge societal norms and future trajectories. The conference aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on these critical themes within the social sciences.
Committees & topics
Why it matters
Understanding the interplay between religion and performativity is crucial for comprehending contemporary social and political dynamics. Religious expressions often involve ritual, symbolism, and public display, which can profoundly influence collective identity, social cohesion, and political action. In an increasingly complex global landscape, the ways in which religious communities perform their beliefs can either reinforce existing power structures or act as catalysts for social change, impacting everything from human rights to environmental activism.
This conference offers a vital platform for examining how religious performativity shapes societal responses to global challenges and visions for the future. By analyzing these dynamics, researchers can gain deeper insights into the mechanisms through which religious actors contribute to public discourse, influence policy, and mobilize populations. The discussions at this event will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of religion's role not merely as a private belief system, but as a powerful, performative force in the public sphere.
For policymakers and international relations practitioners, the insights generated from such discussions are invaluable. Recognizing the performative aspects of religion allows for more effective engagement strategies, particularly in contexts where religious movements play a significant role in conflict or peacebuilding. It underscores the importance of considering religious dimensions in any comprehensive analysis of social and political phenomena.
How to prepare
Delegates preparing for this conference should focus on developing a robust framework for analyzing the performative aspects of religion. This involves moving beyond purely theological or sociological interpretations to consider how religious beliefs are enacted, embodied, and publicly displayed. Familiarity with theories of performativity, ritual studies, and the sociology of religion will be particularly beneficial.
Consider how religious performativity intersects with various social issues, such as gender, politics, and identity. For instance, how do religious rituals reinforce or challenge gender roles? How do public religious demonstrations influence political outcomes or shape national identity? Engaging with these questions will allow for more nuanced contributions to the conference discussions. Reviewing case studies from diverse geographical and cultural contexts, including those from Latin America, will provide valuable comparative insights.
Participants should also prepare to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue. The conference's theme encourages a synthesis of perspectives from various social sciences. Thinking critically about how different methodologies and theoretical lenses can be applied to the study of religion and performativity will enhance one's ability to contribute meaningfully. Developing a clear understanding of one's own research positionality and its implications for interpreting religious phenomena is also a crucial aspect of preparation.
Country perspectives
Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.
ArgentinaA significant hub for academic discourse on religion and society in Latin America.
Role in topic
As the host country, ARG provides a rich context for discussions on religion and performativity, given its diverse religious landscape and the historical interplay of Catholicism, indigenous spiritualities, and newer religious movements. The country's academic institutions are actively engaged in social science research on religion.
Vatican CityA central authority in global religious performativity, particularly for Catholicism.
Role in topic
The Vatican, as the spiritual and administrative center of the Catholic Church, exemplifies religious performativity through its elaborate rituals, public ceremonies, and the global influence of its pronouncements. Its actions and doctrines significantly shape performative religious practices worldwide.
United StatesA diverse landscape of religious performativity, from evangelical movements to secular activism.
Role in topic
The USA is characterized by a vibrant and diverse religious scene where performativity is evident in various forms, from large-scale evangelical rallies and political activism by religious groups to the public expression of secular humanism. The interplay of religion and public life offers numerous case studies for analysis.
IndiaA complex tapestry of religious performativity, deeply intertwined with cultural and political life.
Role in topic
IND, with its multitude of religions, offers a compelling environment to study religious performativity. Public festivals, pilgrimages, and political mobilization along religious lines are central to its social fabric, demonstrating how religious acts shape national identity and social order.
IranA state where religious performativity is central to governance and public life.
Role in topic
In IRN, religious performativity is deeply embedded in the state's political and social structures. Public religious rituals, state-sponsored ceremonies, and the enforcement of religious norms in daily life provide a unique context for examining the relationship between religion, power, and performativity.
Topics & background
The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.
Religión, violencia y muerte
Key players
- Argentina
Host of the conference and key site of debates over religion, state violence, and memory politics.
- Vatican City
Holy See shapes global Catholic discourse on just war, martyrdom, and reconciliation.
IsraelCentral actor in conflicts where religious identity and territorial violence intersect.
- United States
Major influence on global counterterrorism frameworks linking religion and political violence.
NigeriaFaces sustained interreligious violence affecting policy on faith, security, and mourning.
Religión y utopías
Key players
BrazilCenter of liberation theology and pentecostal utopian movements with global reach.
- Vatican City
Articulates official Catholic social teaching on hope, integral ecology, and the common good.
- United States
Hub of evangelical millenarianism and techno-spiritual futurism.
- Iran
State built on a Shia political-religious project with explicit utopian-eschatological dimensions.
MexicoIndigenous and syncretic movements continue to generate alternative communal utopias.
Creencias y política
Key players
- United States
Religious right and faith-based coalitions remain decisive in domestic and foreign policy.
- India
Hindu nationalism has redefined the relationship between majority religion and the state.
- Brazil
Evangelical bench (bancada evangélica) is a major force in legislative and presidential politics.
- Argentina
Pluralist setting where Catholic, evangelical, and secular actors contest public policy.
TurkeyTests the boundaries between official secularism and an Islamically inflected ruling project.
FranceReference case for strict laïcité and ongoing controversies over religion in public space.
Religión y ambiente
Key players
- Vatican City
Holy See has positioned itself as a global moral voice on climate and integral ecology.
- Brazil
Amazon front line where religious, Indigenous, and extractive interests collide.
BoliviaConstitutional recognition of Pachamama links Indigenous spirituality and environmental law.
IndonesiaLargest Muslim-majority country with active Islamic environmental theology and deforestation pressures.
- United States
Religious communities are deeply divided between climate advocacy and skepticism.
Religión y economía
Key players
- Vatican City
Continues to articulate critiques of 'an economy that kills' and proposals for alternative models.
- United States
Major exporter of prosperity-gospel theology and faith-based market actors.
Saudi ArabiaAnchor of Islamic finance and Sharia-compliant economic institutions.
- Brazil
Vast pentecostal economy intersects with media, politics, and informal markets.
- Argentina
Site of debates over Catholic-inspired economic critique amid recurring fiscal crises.
Religión, migraciones y movilidad humana
Key players
- Vatican City
Persistently advocates for migrants and refugees in international forums.
- United States
Sanctuary movements and faith-based agencies operate amid contested immigration politics.
- Mexico
Catholic and evangelical networks accompany transit migration through the Americas.
VenezuelaSource of one of the world's largest displacement crises, reshaping regional religious life.
GermanyMajor European destination where churches and Muslim organizations negotiate integration.
- Argentina
Historic migrant-receiving society where religious diversity reflects successive waves of arrival.
Religión y salud
Key players
- Vatican City
Shapes global Catholic bioethics on beginning- and end-of-life issues.
- United States
Faith-based hospitals and religious exemptions are central to health policy debates.
- Brazil
Pentecostal healing practices intersect with the public SUS health system.
- Argentina
Site of intense debate on reproductive rights, palliative care, and religious conscience.
- India
Religious traditions inform Ayurveda, yoga, and contested public-health interventions.
Religión, género y sexualidad
Key players
- Argentina
Pioneer in marriage equality and abortion rights amid sustained religious contestation.
- Vatican City
Central voice opposing 'gender ideology' while debating pastoral inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons.
- Brazil
Evangelical mobilization has reshaped gender and sexuality policy debates.
- United States
Religious-liberty jurisprudence is a global reference for conflicts over gender and sexuality.
PolandCatholic-aligned policies have restricted reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights in Europe.
- Iran
Religious law codifies gender hierarchies, contested by ongoing women-led protest movements.
Resources
News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for XIV Jornadas Ciencias Sociales y Religión Mundos al límite: religión, performatividad y futuros posibles.
Lessons
Bite-sized lessons to build the basics
Courses
Guided courses that go deeper on the topic
The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance
ArgentinaCountry dossier
Vatican CityCountry dossier
IsraelCountry dossier
United StatesCountry dossier
NigeriaCountry dossier
BrazilCountry dossier
IranCountry dossier
MexicoCountry dossier
IndiaCountry dossier
Country dossier
FranceCountry dossier
BoliviaCountry dossier
IndonesiaCountry dossier
Saudi ArabiaCountry dossier
VenezuelaCountry dossier
GermanyCountry dossier
PolandCountry dossier