Conference on Religious Identity in Central Asia

Conference on Religious Identity in Central Asia

Venue: International Ala-Too University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Dates: May 17th-18th 2019

Conference Registration Fee: This conference is free.

Conference Format: This is a conference for professors, professionals, and students. The
second day of the conference will be dedicated to student presentations and panels
Call for Papers: The conference organizers invite proposals for presentations in the form of
abstracts (including presentation title, author details, and a summary of the presentation) 200-300
words. The official language of the conference is English.
Post Conference Publication: After a review process, a selection of papers will be eligible for
publication in International Ala-Too University’s journal, “Ala-Too Academic Studies.”
Send abstracts and other inquiries to: Rouslan Jalil and Jon Mahoney: rouslanj@gmail.com and
jmahoney@ksu.edu no later than Friday March 22nd 2019. Authors will be notified in late
March or early April regarding the status of their submissions.

Summary of the conference theme:
Since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991 religious identity has become a more salient factor in
the culture and politics of Central Asian governments. The effects and outcomes of the changing
role of religion in Central Asia are a subject of continuous study and deliberation among
academics, civil society groups, policy makers, and citizens. One of the most widely discussed
topics is the growth of religious institutions, ritual observance, and public discourse on issue of
Islam. Other important developments include an increase in religious diversity, both within
Islam, as well as emerging religious communities in other religious traditions. We invite
proposals on topics related to the following:
—Religious identity and state religion policies in CIS countries
—Restrictions on religious groups judged to be a security threat
—Historical factors unique to religious identity in Central Asia
—State education policies and religious identity
—Varieties of secular government and their impact on religious identity
—The intersection on ethnic and religious identity in Central Asia
—Sources of religious radicalization
—Gender and religious identity
—Missionary work and its impact on religious demography
—Religious education in Central Asia