Religions and citizenship : mediation and regulation (advanced ethical and legal issues)

Teacher(s)

Christians Louis-Léon;

Language

French

Prerequisites

The course LSREL2211 « Religions in Belgian and international law (advanced questions) » is recommanded as prerequisite.

Main themes

The treatment of interreligious relations by major international organizations (EU, Council of Europe, UN). The establishment of institutionalized dialogues between religious actors and their influence in international law and national laws on the themes of tolerance, non-discrimination, religious diversity, de-radicalization.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	measure the stakes of a comparison of religious Laws as a vehicle for understanding the diversity of religious traditions and as a contribution to interreligious dialogue.

Content

The course examines new forms of religious regulation in secularized societies today.
The first part of the course presents and analyzes some new international mechanisms aimed in favouring specifically religious dimension of intercultural dialogue - Theories of interconvictionnal public dialogues - ONU Alliance of Nations - Council of Europe Religious Dimensions of Intercultural Dialogue - EU Open, transparent and regular dialogue under Art. 17 TFEU of the European Union - other programs by the World Bank programs, UNESCO, etc.
The second part goes into detail on issues chosen by the students themselves (in law or ethics). One or two invited speakers also come to analyse some topical issues.
Examples of themes to be chosen : Dialogue and radicalization - public initiative of interconvictionnel dialogue - Litigation and conflict resolution - Policy and legal regime of Faith Based Initiatives in USA etc
At the end of the course, the student will master the main instruments of interdisciplinary research about "religions & social regulation" and will be able to conduct a documentary research in these matters.

Teaching methods

After a general introduction, the course will progress through interactive discussions around a portfolio of readings and research chosen and prepared by each student.
COVID: Face-to-face teaching will be encouraged wherever possible.
Hybrid modalities for online teaching are possible.

Evaluation methods

The evaluation will be made on the basis of a written work by about fifteen pages analyzing in a interdisciplinary way a dialogue initiative launched by a public institution. The quality of the bibliographical research will be assessed (20% of the mark).
The modalities are the same for the September session.

Online resources

See the moodle website of the course

Bibliography

Cfr le moodle du cours

• WILLAIME, J. P., Le retour du religieux dans la sphère publique, Vers une laïcité de reconnaissance et de dialogue, éd. Olivétan 2008, 112 pp.;
• AZZOUZI, A. (et al),L'alliance des civilisations et la diversité culturelle: De la stratégie à l'action, Paris, L'Harmattan, 2009
• FORET, Fr., Religion and Politics in the European Union: The Secular Canopy (Cambridge Studies in Social Theory, Religion and Politics), Cambridge University Press, 2015
• JOBIN, G., La Foi dans l'espace public. Un dialogue théologique avec la philosophie morale de Jean-Marc Ferry, Les Presses Universitaires de Laval, Québec, 2004 
• LACORNE, D., Justin Vaïsse, Jean-Paul Willaime (dir), La diplomatie au défi des religions, Paris, Odile Jacob, 2014.
• LEFEBVRE, S., BRODEUR, P., Public Commissions on Cultural and Religious Diversity: Analysis, Reception and Challenges, Routledge, 2017
• TIMMERMAN, Chr., SEGAERT, B., How to conquer the barriers to intercultural Dialogue, Bruxelles, Bern, Berlin, Peter Lang, Gods, Humans and Religions, vol. 5, 2004

Faculty or entity

CISR