Suchergebnisse

Drawing on interviews with leading figures in multifaith relations, this book documents the rise of the movement, describing initiatives that have been deployed to counter terrorism, climate change and other global risks at the turn of the 21st century.

This thesis examines how multifaith initiatives have been implemented as cosmopolitan strategies to counter global risks—such as terrorism and climate change—and advance common security in ultramodern Western societies. This study is among the first to employ Ulrich Beck's (2006:91-94) model of 'methodological cosmopolitanism'. Consequently, it incorporates a local–global focus, examining the rise of the multifaith movement in Victoria, Australia within a broader 'global' framework of Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). Despite the rise of the multifaith movement and of multi-actor peacebuilding networks at the turn of the 21st century, they have received scant attention in the sociological literature. I aim to address this omission by examining the ultramodern rise of multifaith engagement from the perspective of social movement theory and cosmopolitan theory. I argue that the rise of the multifaith movement in ultramodernity, alongside other social movements of this period, provides a missing narrative within the sociological literature, which is comprised of cosmopolitan peacebuilding religious responses aimed at collaboratively countering global risks. In addition, by documenting these peacebuilding aspects of the ultramodern resurgence of religion, I contribute new evidence to further challenge the secularisation thesis. By drawing on 54 interviews with expert professionals in the field of multifaith relations gathered for this research project and by comparing previously published material with this new data, I identify four principle aims and six characteristics of the multifaith movement, examine the benefits and challenges of multifaith engagement and explain the role of multifaith initiatives in countering processes of radicalisation. Finally, by building upon cosmopolitan theories, I propose a new theoretical framework that I term netpeace. Netpeace recognises the interconnectedness of global problems and solutions and the capacity of multi-actor peacebuilding networks—in which religious actors engage both critically and collaboratively with state actors—to overcome the most pressing risks of our times. This study can thereby assist in building new models of activism and governance, as outmoded, oppositional frameworks of modernity are being replaced by new ultramodern, cosmopolitan possibilities, founded on a politics of understanding modelled by the multifaith movement.

This Special Issue on "Migrant Youth, Intercultural Relations and the Challenges of Social Inclusion", reports recent cutting edge research into the complex nature of migrant youth settlement in multicultural émigré societies. Drawing on multidisciplinary research, it explores the latest intersecting theories on cultural diversity, intercultural relations and multiculturalism in the context of globalised cities where access to and sharing of public spaces is becoming a highly contested issue.

Recent thinking on globalization places risk at the centre of contemporary life. Yet what if our perception of risk is misplaced? What if the greatest risk is not terrorism itself but the conditions that allow terrorism to flourish? This fascinating book illustrates that elevated perceptions of terrorism-related risks are having a deleterious impact on many societies, exacerbating feelings of exclusion among individuals and groups. Via their exploration of various societies, the expert contributors show that as a causal factor of terrorism, social exclusion can be remedied by inclusive, participatory and deliberative measures. They prescribe a recalibration of counter-terrorism policies to unite rather than divide multicultural societies.

Issues pertaining to religion and Australian schools have generated a significant amount of controversy and scholarly attention in recent years, and much of the attention in the religion and schools debate has focused on Muslim and non-religious children's experiences (Erebus International, 2006; Halafoff, 2013). This article, by contrast, explores the manifestations of antisemitism as experienced by Jewish children and youth in Canberra schools. It considers the characteristics of antisemitism; when and why it occurs; its impact on the Jewish children and young people; and also the responses to it by them, the schools and the Jewish community. Based on focus groups with the Jewish students and their parents, the study reveals that antisemitism is common in Canberra schools, as almost all Jewish children and youth in this study have experienced it. The findings from this study suggest that there is a need for more anti-racism education. Specifically there is an urgent need for educational intervention about antisemitism, alongside education about religions and beliefs in general, to counter antisemitism more effectively and religious discrimination more broadly in Australian schools.

1. The Future Makers: Teens in the Age of Diversity -- 2. Doing Away with our Sunday Best: Teenagers and the Remaking of Religion in Australia -- 3. Mind, Body, Spirit: Teenagers and Spirituality -- 4. A Personal Point of View: Discovering Teenage Worldviews 5. 'A Higher Order Out There': Seekers and the Spiritual but not Religious -- 6. Immanent Gods: This Worldly and Indifferent Teens -- 7. Awash but not Adrift in a Sea of Diversity: Teen Attitudes to Religious Diversity -- 8. Taking it to School: Religious Literacy, Religious Instruction and General Religious Education -- 9. Harry Potter, Homophobia and Human Rights: Teens talk about Sexuality Education, Religious Exemptions and Gay Rights -- 10. Conclusion

Socio-Anthropological Approaches to Religion demonstrates various interpretations and phenomena of the "environmental hope" from a multi-disciplinary perspective to enhance the prosocial characteristics of religion in the humanities and the social sciences.