INTERNATIONAL PROCEEDING ON HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY, AND RELIGION

Abstract

The conference titled "Human Rights, Democracy & Religion – in the Perspective of Cultural Studies, Philosophy and the Study of Religions" was held at the Institute of Philosophy and the Study of Religions, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, on January 2-5, 2024. The compilation of edited papers presented above is a direct outcome of the conference. The purpose of the conference was to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Department of The Study of Religions, which represents the enhanced cooperation between philosophers and historians of religions at the Institute of Philosophy and the Study of Religions. Additionally, the conference aimed to mark the 10th anniversary of the Centre for American Studies, which contributes the viewpoint of cultural studies to the perspectives of philosophers and historians of religions. The primary objective of the conference was to facilitate the convergence of Danish and international scholars, enabling them to integrate their diverse academic traditions, perspectives, and approaches to the subject matter at hand. Specifically, the conference aimed to explore the interplay between human rights, democracy, religion, and the complex interplay between these contested concepts and their corresponding realities. While the papers may not encompass all the inter-disciplinary deliberations and conversations that occurred at the conference, they do showcase the variety of methodologies and the necessity and value of integrating these methodologies and scholars. Binderup, Barclay, Favrholdt, and Klawonn, as philosophers, explore fundamental ethical and metaethical issues related to human rights, norms, and ethics in a broader sense. They also examine the role and significance of religion in these matters, as well as the challenges faced by multicultural and multi-religious liberal societies and liberal philosophies. Hjärpe, Lassen, Skovgaard-Petersen, Wamsler, and Andersen, who are historians of religions and islamologists, examine the historical and current connections between different religious traditions, namely Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. They contribute their distinct empirical and historical-philological approach to the philosophical and normative debates. Rosalind Hackett, a historian of religions, comprehensively examines several approaches to the emerging field of human rights and religion, highlighting specific areas that require further investigation. It is challenging to categorize, save for the perspective of David Little, the sole human rights scholar, who critically examines the rationale behind the Human Rights Declaration of 1948 and the United States' policy of the 'war against terrorism' and subsequent actions against Iraq.