This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| European Association for the Study of Religions | |
|---|---|
| Name | European Association for the Study of Religions |
| Abbreviation | EASR |
| Formation | 1989 |
| Type | Learned society |
| Headquarters | Rotterdam |
| Region served | Europe |
| Language | English |
| Leader title | President |
European Association for the Study of Religions is a pan-European learned society that fosters scholarly research and collaboration on religiosity across the continent. It connects academics, museum curators, policy analysts, and independent scholars from institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and University of Amsterdam to develop comparative, historical, and sociological studies. The Association engages with broader networks including Association for the Sociology of Religion, American Academy of Religion, International Association for the History of Religions, European Consortium for Political Research, and Council of Europe-related fora.
The Association emerged in the late 1980s, influenced by shifting intellectual currents at centers like London School of Economics, University of Manchester, and University of Strasbourg, and by events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and expansion of the European Union. Early formative meetings drew scholars affiliated with projects at University of Tübingen, University of Vienna, University of Helsinki, and University of Copenhagen. Founders included academics trained under mentors at Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and Princeton University who sought an institutional home distinct from national bodies like British Association for the Study of Religions and Société Internationale des Sciences Religieuses. Over subsequent decades the Association evolved through presidencies situated in cities including Leiden, Ghent, Bologna, and Barcelona, adapting governance models used by Royal Historical Society and British Academy.
The Association’s core objectives mirror those of peer organizations such as European Association of Social Anthropologists and European Sociological Association: to promote rigorous research, enhance cross-border cooperation, and support early-career scholars. Activities include organizing thematic working groups inspired by approaches from Max Weber, Émile Durkheim, Mircea Eliade, and methodologies taught at University of Oxford and École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. It fosters collaborations with museums like British Museum, university presses including Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, and funding bodies such as European Research Council and Horizon 2020. The Association also liaises with cultural organizations such as UNESCO and engages with legal frameworks influenced by the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Association convenes biennial congresses patterned after large scholarly meetings like those of American Philosophical Association and International Sociological Association. Previous congress venues have included Prague, Stockholm, Lisbon, Vienna, and Athens, drawing delegates from institutions such as Sorbonne Université, Università di Bologna, KU Leuven, Trinity College Dublin, and Charles University. Program formats combine plenary lectures modeled on keynote traditions at Berlin Philharmonie and parallel panels similar to European Geosciences Union sessions. Collaborations with national associations (for example German Society for the Study of Religion and French Association for the Study of Religions) and thematic partnerships with centers like Centre for the Study of Religion and Society enhance interdisciplinary reach.
The Association supports publication channels comparable to those of Routledge and Brill by promoting edited volumes, special issues in journals such as Religion, Journal of Contemporary Religion, and Numen, and newsletters circulated to members at universities including Uppsala University and University of Edinburgh. Digital communication strategies draw on models from Project MUSE and JSTOR to disseminate conference proceedings, working papers, and teaching materials. It maintains email lists, social media presence, and collaborates on open-access initiatives aligned with policies of Plan S and repositories like ERIC.
Membership includes individual scholars, institutional affiliates, and student members from establishments like University of Zurich, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, University of Belgrade, and Saint Petersburg State University. Governance follows elected boards and committees resembling structures used by European Humanities Research Centre and International Institute of Social History, with roles such as President, Secretary, Treasurer, and convenors of networks. Elections are held at congresses and through online ballots modeled on procedures of International Political Science Association, ensuring representation across regions including Iceland, Malta, Poland, and Romania.
The Association nurtures regional clusters and thematic networks comparable to those in European Network for Comparative Legal History and European Forum for Urban Security. Examples include networks focused on diaspora religions engaging scholars from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Morocco, and Albania; heritage and museum studies collaborating with Vatican Museums and Musée du Quai Branly; and digital religion initiatives connecting researchers at Aarhus University, University of Oslo, and Trinity College Dublin. Thematic groups address secularization debates informed by works tied to Charles Taylor, migration studies resonant with research at Sciences Po, and ritual studies aligned with the scholarship of Victor Turner.
The Association grants prizes and recognitions patterned after awards such as the Wolfson History Prize and Ruth Benedict Prize, honoring outstanding monographs, early-career doctoral theses, and lifetime achievement. Past recipients have been affiliated with institutions including Yale University, University of Michigan, Universität Zürich, and University of Glasgow. Honorary lectureships and travel grants facilitate exchange with partner bodies like American Academy of Religion and International Association for the History of Religions, while awarded projects have attracted support from funders such as Wellcome Trust and Nuffield Foundation.
Category:Learned societies