Bern, Switzerland

Religious Conflicts and Coping Strategies – Rituals, Rhetorics, Regulations

Many conflicts, present and past, are perceived and problematized as religious. To date no model for the analysis of religiously connoted conflicts and associated coping strategies has been established which goes beyond the boundaries of individual disciplines or which maps out and explains the complexity of the phenomena. Conflicts involving religion often intensify, elude resolution, or lose their constructive and socializing potential, because strong emotional, factual, and interpretive aspects are interwoven. Established strategies of conflict resolution therefore often reach their limits in such conflicts.

This Summer School offers an opportunity to explore a novel approach based on the concept of coping with conflicts which has the advantage of focusing on the process rather than on the resolution. Through problem-based case studies and interdisciplinary learning, the students will learn to use a new analytical model which outlines the various economic, political, social, cultural, and psychological factors which contribute to religious conflicts and their respective relationships to religious convictions, motivations, and protagonists. We will explore several coping strategies for religious conflicts along the lines of three basic concepts: rituals, rhetorics, and regulations.

The summer school comprises keynote lectures held by high-profile researchers, workshops to train and sharpen students’ competence with coping strategies, a workshop on intercultural learning, and a final one-day seminar with presentations by researchers and students.

Target group

Advanced Bachelor and Master students in law, history, theology, philosophy or related fields.

Fee info

CHF 200: Please note that you will benefit from the early bird reduction, in case you complete your application before the 17 April 2023. The final date for handing in your complete application is 31 May 2023. You will be notified in the second half of June 2023 whether your application was successful.

Early bird registration 150 CHF
Regular registration 200 CHF
Included in the price: The registration fee includes course participation, an “icebreaker” and final drinks reception, supervision and materials.

Scholarships

Non-Flight Travel-Grants
Participants not living in Switzerland can apply for a travel grant.
Condition: You travel to Bern by public transport (train, bus, ship) without using air travel.