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Dear friends and colleagues,

This week we have a wide range of events for you: First, we would like to draw your attention to the colloquium next Wednesday with David Martyn (Macalester College) and Christiane Frey (HU Berlin) being our guests. Secondly, the reading group on materiality is meeting again. Furthermore, we have information on an online conference and a transcultural, open air music highlight for you.

Enjoy and have a good week!

Anja

Next week’s colloquium: David Martyn and Christiane Frey ask “Is Secularism Christianity? Recent Debates on Secularization in Historical Perspective”

As today and last week, also at next week’s colloquium we will have the pleasure to (virtually) welcome two guests: Christiane Frey, former Associate Professor of German at New York University and currently Alexander von Humboldt-Fellow at HU Berlin, and David Martyn, Professor for German and Russian Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota will talk about “Recent Debates on Secularization in Historical Perspective”. In doing so, they will present their 2020 published edited volume “Säkularisierung: Grundlagentexte zur Theoriegeschichte (“Secularisation: Fundamental Texts on the History of its Theory”). They will also refer to the article “Secularism” by Gil Anidjar, which is thus recommended as a reading.

As usual, you find the relevant readings in the member area.

The colloquium will take place as a hybrid event. If you would like to attend in person, please register via e-mail. The number of physically present participants is limited to 10 people. In the member area, you will also find the zoom connection data in case you plan to join the colloquium online.

Next week’s colloquium will be held in room 4.55 AND due to the time difference at an unusual time at 2:30 p.m.

7 July | 2:30–5:00 p.m. (CET)

Hybrid format | Strohsack, room 4.55 and via zoom

Reading Group: Manuel A. Vásquez on “More than Belief. A Materialist Theory of Religion”

The reading group on “Materiality of the Religious/Secular Divide” enters a new round: Next week, our Senior Researchers Magnus Echtler and Nur Yasemin Ural will have a closer look at Manuel A. Vásquez’ Introduction to “More than Belief. A Materialist Theory of Religion”.

Again, please feel free to circulate this invitation and please address all your queries regarding participation in the reading group to Magnus and Yasemin. The reading group is being planned as hybrid event. Please register via e-mail if you want to attend in person. The number of participants physically present is limited to 10 people.

7 July | 5:00–6:30 p.m. (CET)

Hybrid format | Strohsack, room 4.55 and via zoom

Online Conference „Kirche im Wandel” (“Church in Transition”)

The DFG Research Unit „Sakralraumtransformation” (“Transformation of Sacred Space”) invites to its online conference „Kirche im Wandel” (“Church in Transition”) from 8–10 July. Using case studies mainly from the Rhineland, the conference will look at both the changing sacred architecture and the changing use of churches: be it in ecumenism, be it as a place of burial or as a secular space. The aim is to formulate an interdisciplinary criteriology for the assessment and steering of transformation processes. The conference will be held mainly in German.


8–10 July

Online via zoom (Registration via e-mail)

Live Concert with „Klänge der Hoffnung” (“Sounds of Hope”)

Last year, we already presented the ensemble “Sounds of Hope” to you – at that time as a livestream concert. The band's repertoire combines European, Arabic and Persian music as well as Klezmer influences. Now the time has come: The band is playing live again on 4 July at the atmospheric open air theatre Parkbühne Geyserhaus. For the first time, the newly founded amateur orchestra of “Sounds of Hope” will also be heard together with the “Sounds of Hope” ensemble. It consists of 46 musicians from all over the world and has been rehearsing since mid-April. Melodies from different cultures will be played which the artistic director Ali Pirabi has arranged especially for the orchestra.

Please pay attention to the admission rules on site (keeping the minimum distance, obligation to wear masks in areas where a minimum distance cannot be maintained, registration of contact details (e.g. with Corona WarnApp). 

4 July | 4:30–6:00 p.m. (CET) | Parkbühne GeyserHaus e.V., Kleiststraße 52, 04157 Leipzig

Free entrance | Reservation not necessary

If you have any content that you think suits the purpose of the weekly, please feel free to send it to us at multiple-secularities@uni-leipzig.de.