Friday, September 18, 2009

Draft timetable and list of papers, updated 24.10.09

Please note that this timetable is subject to change between now and the conference.

Friday 30th October, 2009

10.30 – 12.30: Conference registration and attended poster session

Poster presenters:

Joantine Berghuijs (Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Utrecht University)
Unaffiliated spirituality and social engagement

Markus Davidsen (Leiden University / Aarhus University)
"Fiction based religions": a study of new religions based on religions embedded in fiction

Ronan Foley (NUI Maynooth)
Therapeutic landscapes, ownership and spiritual health

Kerry Gallagher (NUI Maynooth)
Imported Catholicism: the role religion plays in the integration of Polish immigrants into Irish society

Gladys Ganiel (Trinity College Dublin / Irish School of Ecumenics)
Auditing Ireland’s religious diversity: perspectives on diversity, immigration, reconciliation and ecumenism

Brigitte Veiz (Dept. of Social psychology, University of Munich)
The Rainbow Family: rituals and circles in a neo-tribal, global subculture


(11.30: Tea / coffee, Auxilia 1)

12.30 – 1.00: Welcome address (Auxilia 1)
Professor Tom Inglis (University College Dublin)
"A sociological map of religion in contemporary Ireland"

1.00 – 2.30: Lunch

2.30 – 4.00: Workshops, session 1

Auxilia 1


Anne Mulhall (School of English, Drama and Film / Irish Studies, University College Dublin), The Feng Shui of Lough Derg: marketing spirituality in contemporary Ireland

Ciara O'Connor (Dept. of Sociology, NUI Maynooth), Relationships between feminism and the New Age in Ireland: from meditation room to marketplace

Auxilia 2
Frances Clynes (Computing, IT Tallaght / Sophia Centre, University of Wales Lampeter), Cyberspace and religion

Sean O'Callaghan (University of Lancaster, UK), Navigating the "otherworld": listening for voices from Ireland in "dark occultural" cyberspace

Rye Hall
Ruth Bradby (University of Chester, UK), "A course in miracles": channelling, legitimation, therapy and self-help

Anja Bratuz (Science and Research Centre, University of Primorska, Slovenia), A new challenge for the ecological consciousness: the impact of Pogacnik's method of earth healing

Snjezana Zoric (Dept. for Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Zadar, Croatia), Intercultural and interreligious encounter in the ashram of Sai Baba

4.00: Tea / coffee, Auxilia 1

4.30 – 6.00: Workshops, session 2

Auxilia 1
Laurence Cox / Maria Griffin (Dept. of Sociology, NUI Maynooth), The Wild Irish girl and the "dalai lama of Little Thibet": Irish Buddhism in world-systems context

John L Murphy (Humanities, DeVry University, USA), Imagining Celtic Buddhism

Audrey Whitty (National Museum of Ireland / Dept. of History of Art and Architecture, Trinity College Dublin), The Albert M Bender collection of Asian art in the National Museum of Ireland

Auxilia 2
Daniel Caldwell (Carraig Eden Theological College, Greystones), Patrick: prototypical Pentecostal?

Patrick Claffey (Dept of Mission Theology and Cultures, Milltown Institute, Dublin), Pentecostal charismatics in Ireland

Rye Hall
Dominic McCambridge (University of London, UK), Spiritual but not religious: an historical and psychological approach to the phenomenon

Peter Mulholland (independent scholar), The flourishing of NRMs in modern Ireland: context, chronology, scale, and crisis theories

6.00 – 7.30: Dinner

8.00: Plenary lecture (Auxilia 1)
Dr Carmen Kuhling (University of Limerick),
From the parish hall to the shopping mall: consumption and re-enchantment in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland

Saturday 31st October, 2009

9.30 – 11.00: Workshops, session 3

Auxilia 1
Sean O'Halloran (independent scholar), Spiritual discourse: an examination of sharing in Alcoholics Anonymous

Lyn Thomas (Institute for the Study of European Transformations, University College London), Returning to the fold? The Monastery in narratives of spiritual life

Auxilia 2: Conference organisers' session [closed]

Rye Hall
Bozena Gierek (Centre for the Comparative Studies of Civilizations, Jagiellonian University, Poland), The place of "Celtic spirituality" in the New Age movement

Áinéad Ní Mhuirthile (Roinn na Gaeilge, Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál, Ollscoil Luimnigh), Reiki healing: the response in Ireland

11.00: Tea / coffee, Auxilia 1

11.30 – 1.00: Workshops, session 4

Auxilia 1
Jenny Butler (Folklore and Ethnology Dept., University College, Cork), Irish neo-paganism: world-view and identity

Geraldine Moane (School of Psychology, University College Dublin), The contemporary development of shamanism in Ireland

Auxilia 2
Olivia Cosgrove (Dept. of Sociology, University of Limerick), A crucial site of difference? New religious movements and attitudes to globalisation in Ireland

Malcolm Macourt (Centre for Census and Survey Research, University of Manchester), The "new religious landscape" and the "New Irish": the census – a useful tool?

Rye Hall
Alice Herron (independent scholar), Too much mother's love, too little father's guidance: psychological drivers for new religious movements?

Jurek Kirakowski (Dept. of Psychology, University College Cork), What makes an accident into a cult? A psychological analysis of attitude and belief

Diarmuid Verrier, Brian Hughes (School of Psychology, NUI Galway), Spirituality and schizotypy: how personality can influence beliefs and experiences

1.00 – 2.30: Lunch

2.30 – 4.00: Workshops, session 5

Auxilia 1
Carole Cusack (Studies in Religion, University of Sydney, Australia), Alternative spiritualities in Australia

Catherine Maignant (Centre for Irish Studies, University of Lille, France), The fellowship of Isis: the Great Goddess and the New Humanity

Auxilia 2
Attracta Brownlee (Dept. of Anthropology, NUI Maynooth), Irish Travellers, NRMs and the New Age

Courtney Roberts (independent scholar), Astrology in Ireland in the postwar era

Rye Hall
Jonathan Lacey (Dept. of Sociology, Trinity College Dublin), In search of legitimacy: aims and strategies of a neo-Sufi movement in Ireland

Oliver Scharbrodt (Study of Religions Dept, University College Cork), Islam in Ireland: establishing organisational frameworks for a diverse Muslim community in Europe

4.00: Tea / coffee, Auxilia 1

4.30 – 6.00: Workshops, session 6

Auxilia 1
Nadja Furlan (Science and Research Centre, University of Primorska, Slovenia), Feminist spirituality and Goddess-focussed religious philosophy

Laura Sherman (Milltown Institute, Dublin), Finding the divine feminine in current-day Ireland: a return to the Great Mother

Auxilia 2
Brian Bocking (Study of Religions Dept., University College Cork), Catholicism as a new religious movement

Stanley Brunn (Dept. of Geography, University of Kentucky), Changing map of world religions: ten emerging trends


Rye Hall

Kevin Hargaden (Dept. of Sociology, NUI Maynooth), A sociological examination of the theological factors behind evangelical church growth

Ruth Jackson (University of Manchester, UK), The emperor's new clothes? An appraisal of a Christian new religious movement in the Republic of Ireland

6.00 – 7.30: Dinner

8.00: Second plenary lecture (Auxilia 1):
Professor Eileen Barker (London School of Economics)
"Cults, sects and / or new religions: 'Curioser and curioser!' cried Alice. 'Well, yes and no,' replied the sociologist…"

Sunday 1st November, 2009

Bus trip to the Hill of Tara and Loughcrew Megalithic Cemetery, cost for the bus €15 or €10 for students / unwaged with ID. Please bring raingear and boots or walking shoes.