PeacebuildingAsia

Call for Papers

The conference is being organised through partnership between the Lumbini Development Trust and the University of Winchester's Centre of Religion Reconciliation and Peace.

Understanding of the role of religion and culture in conflict and peacebuilding is crucial to building just and harmonious communities and societies across the world. This is particularly relevant in South Asia today; where religious actors and institutions are playing vital and complex roles in conflict transformation, civic awareness, state transitional processes and reconciliation initiatives. 

The 2^nd International Conference on ‘Religion and Culture in Conflict and Peace’ offers opportunities for peacebuilding scholars and practitioners from all over the world to collaborate in exploring some of the most complex and pressing challenges we face today. The conference aims to go beyond reporting on ‘religious peacebuilding activities’, and examine critically the role of religion in conflict and peacebuilding, and the contribution of religious leaders and organisations to societal harmony.  It is hoped that the conference will propose new avenues for research and practice. As a result the conference organisers encourage innovative and challenging contributions which address the following themes: 

• The role of religion in building just and sustainable peace in South Asian countries            
• The role of the UN, governments and CSOs in empowering women’s leadership in post-conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
• The consequences and implications of the rise of religious nationalism for peacebuilding. 
• The role of Reconciliation in the future of Nepal.
• Buddhist perspectives on the ethics of violence, non-violence and peace-building .
• Justpeace vs Liberal Peace? New theoretical insights and developments in religious peacebuilding 

Papers on other or related subjects, and geographical areas other than South Asia, will be considered. However, there are a finite number of places available and so preference may be given to papers which engage with contemporary conflicts, offer innovative theoretical or practical ideas, and/or have a focus on South Asia.  

Whilst the conference is situated at the intersection of religion and culture, and peace and conflict studies the organisers recognise the extraordinary value of cross and multi-disciplinary research. We therefore welcome contributions from scholars working across a range of disciplinary fields, including international relations, political sciences, law, psychology, anthropology, cultural studies, critical theory and gender studies, post-colonial studies, and media and journalism. 

Fittingly the conference will take place in the region of Lumbini, Nepal, the historic and symbolic birthplace of the Buddha. It has official support from the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and presenters whose papers are accepted will have bursaries supporting their accommodation and subsistence.  However, all delegates must pay for  and organise their own travel to and from the conference location. As part of the conference there will be an arranged excursion to visit some of the rich archaeological and sacred sites of Lumbini. We look forward to welcoming you.

Process for submitting abstracts 

Participants are invited to submit abstracts of 250-300 words (in Word or Open Office format). Proposals should also include name, institutional affiliation (if relevant), a short biography (no more than 100 words) and an email address and phone number. Proposals for panel discussions (organised by the participants) will be considered. We hope to publish a selection of papers. 

Presentations will be in English, and each speaker will be allocated 20 minutes with up to 10 minutes for discussion. During the conference there will also be sessions allocated specifically for open discussions on themed topics and networking. 

• Deadline for receipt of abstracts is Sunday 10th February, 2019.
• Confirmation of paper acceptance will be at the latest Friday 15 February, 2019. 

Please submit papers to: Rebecca.Bellamy@winchester.ac.uk 

Keynote Speakers: 

Professor Hugh Miall - is Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Kent, and Chair of the Conflict Research Society, the main professional association for peace and conflict researchers in the UK. He has been Director of the Conflict Analysis Research Centre and Head of the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent and was formerly Director of the Richardson Institute for Peace and Conflict Research at Lancaster University, and a Research Fellow in the European Programme at Chatham House, research director of the Oxford Research Group, and a researcher in energy and environmental issues at the Centre for Earth Resources Research. He has taught at Essex University and the Open University and has been a visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Conflict Studies at the University of Utrecht.

Steve Killelea - is an accomplished entrepreneur in high technology business development and at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace. After successfully building two international software companies, Steve decided to dedicate most of his time and fortune to sustainable development and peace. In 2007 Steve founded the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an international think tank dedicated to building a greater understanding of the interconnection between business, peace and economics with particular emphasis on the economic benefits of peace. IEP’s ground-breaking research includes the Global Peace Index, the world’s leading measure of peacefulness.