Press release: “Dynamics of Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia“: Funding for competence network from the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Nr. 113/2011 - 15.06.2011

Göttingen University receives 1.4 million euros for coordination

(pug) The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will be funding the competence network on “Dynamics of Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia“ with a total of 3.5 million euros for an initial period of four years. The competence network merges institutes working on Southeast Asia at the universities of Göttingen, Hamburg, Münster, Heidelberg and the Humboldt University in Berlin. This collaborative research alliance is being coordinated by the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology of Göttingen University; Prof. Dr. Andrea Lauser is its spokesperson. The amount of funding the University receives exceeds 1.4 million euros.

The research conducted by the competence network focuses on the interrelationships between religion and Southeast Asian modernity. Within this context, the scholars will critically examine the assumption of classical modernization theories according to which the importance of religion is continually diminishing and becoming the “counter pole“ to modernity. It is a given that the rapid-paced economic and political developments in the so-called “tiger and dragon countries“ of Southeast Asia similarly lead to deep-running social upheaval as does a strengthening of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). These changes not only have economic and political consequences, but cultural as well and, herein, the subject of religion plays a prominent role. On a global scale, the coexistence and intermingling of the diverse cultures and religions of Southeast Asia is incomparably unique in density and complexity. Countless local religions interact with the world’s main religions where the dynamics of regional and global modernization come to the fore. In this context, “modernity“ is interpreted, assimilated and rejected in ways that are multifaceted and myriad. Indeed, religion has been shown to play a major role in modernity: religion dictates, mediates and shapes modernity; religion helps people cope with the impact of modernity, exploit its opportunities and critically distance themselves from it.

The network on “Dynamics of Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia“ aims to scientifically monitor these transformation processes in the Southeast Asian Nations, to analyse, to place in historical context and to make its research findings accessible to a broad public. The scholars are researching three dimensions of religious dynamics: religious practices, politicisation of religion and collisions of moral orders. Moreover, the network’s thematic focus enables it to drive and direct research projects in different countries of Southeast Asia and place their findings in relation to one another. Another aim is to foster an intense academic exchange of all theoretical endeavours.

Contact:
Paul Christensen, Coordinator
Georg August University Göttingen
BMBF Project “Dynamics of Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia“
Faculty of Social Sciences
Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology
Berliner Strasse 28, 37073 Göttingen
Phone +49(0)551 39-20153
Email: dorisea@uni-goettingen.de
Internet: www.dorisea.net