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  4. Religion and Global Politics across Disciplines and Publics: Schedule

Religion and Global Politics across Disciplines and Publics: Schedule

An international symposium
Rome, Italy
June 29-30, 2026

Four individuals lean against a stone railing, enjoying a panoramic view of an expansive city filled with historic architecture and terracotta rooftops. The scene captures a peaceful moment of observation under a clear blue sky, likely from an elevated vantage point or terrace.

Schedule

Monday, June 29, 2026
Room Mate Mia Collection, Sala Coronati, Capo D’Africa

16:45 Welcome and Introduction

17:00 Keynote
“What is the Point of Public-Facing Scholarship on Religion and Global Politics?”
Erin K. Wilson, University of Groningen

June 30
Notre Dame Rome, Via Ostillia

The image features two men in business suits seated in front of a background containing classical portraits and large flags. The man on the left is holding a pen and papers while speaking, while the man on the right listens attentively during what appears to be a formal panel or discussion.

9:00 Session 1: Religion, (Post)Colonialism and New Nations

Chair: Ebrahim Moosa, University of Notre Dame
Panelists:
Rebecca Tinio McKenna, University of Notre Dame
Jethro Calacday, Cambridge University
Fr. Emmanuel Katongole, University of Notre Dame
Jacob Katumusiime, University of Johannesburg

11:00 Coffee Break

11:15 Session 2: Religion, Democracy, and State Agendas

Chair: Peter Mandaville, Georgetown University
Panelists:
Joel Day, University of Notre Dame
Dina Osama Lotfy, Cairo University
Gerard Powers, University of Notre Dame
Andrew Dickson, University of Sussex

13:30 Lunch

14:45 pm Session 3: Religious Networks, Identity Politics, Religio-Political Theory

Chair: Erin K. Wilson, University of Groningen
Panelists:
Timothy Matovina, University of Notre Dame
Ely Orrego-Torres, Lund University
Nikhil Menon, University of Notre Dame
Thahir Kiliyamannil, SRM University-Andhra Pradesh

17:00 Reception and Award Presentation, Rooftop Terrace

Host: Mary McAleese, Chair, Ansari Institute Advisory Board
Ansari Book Prize Award to Erin Wilson, University of Groningen

Wednesday, July 1
“New Directions in the Study of Religion and Global Politics” Workshop, European Academy of Religion
LUISS University, viale Pola 12:AT14

9:00 Session 1: Religion and International Order(s)

“Natural Law, the Society of States, and the Moral Foundations of Order: Pius XII and the Transatlantic Debate on International Reconstruction: 1939-1941,” Madalena Meyer Resende (Portuguese Institute for International Relations NOVA University of Lisbon)

“Entangled Blocpolitik: New Forms of Civilizational Belonging in Europe,” Jorge Botelho Moniz (Lusofona University)

Discussant: Ely Orrego-Torres (Lund University)

This image depicts the breathtaking vaulted ceiling of the Gallery of Maps within the Vatican Museums. The ornate corridor is renowned for its elaborate gold stucco work and vibrant frescoes that illustrate various religious and historical scenes.

10:10 Session 2: Interreligious Engagement and Managing Pluralism

“What is Covenantal Pluralism? Definition, Scope and Challenges,” Ryan Lemasters (University of Kansas)

“Envisioning a Path to Global Peace: A Cross-cultural Framework Based on the Spiritual and Political Thought of Early Twentieth-century India,” Isaac Portilla Pelaez (Tampere University)

“One Country- Different Forms of Secularism? Regional Variations in State-Religion Relations: The Case of Germany,” Magdalena Franz (TU Dortmund University)

“Parallel Paths to God: State-Sponsored Interreligious Dialogue in Eisenhower’s America,” Paul Fine (Oxford University)

Discussant: Michael Driessen (John Cabot University)

12:30 “Making a King: The Political Theology of Joan of Arc,” Winnifred Fallers Sullivan (Indiana University, Bloomington)
European Academy of Religion Keynote Lecture

13:30 Lunch Break

15:00 Session 3: Catholic Social Movements and Global Politics

“Do Catholics Protest Differently? A Quantitative Assessment of Catholic Demonstrations around the World,” Joel Day (University of Notre Dame)

“Catholic Care Practice as Social (non)Movement: Asylum Governance in the Lower Rio Grande Valley,” Josie Soehnge Cohen (University of Notre Dame)

Discussants: Sara Silvestri (City St. George’s University of London) and Dina Osama Lotfy (Cairo University)

This photo captures the famous view through the Aventine Keyhole at the Villa del Priorato di Malta, perfectly framing St. Peter’s Basilica in the distance. The garden's manicured hedges create a natural "tunnel" effect, leading the eye directly toward the iconic dome of the Vatican.

16:10 Session 4: Religious Authority and Legal Reform in the Arab Region

“Between Order and Oppression: Navigating Sectarian Strife Laws in the Arab Region,” Fadi Hachem (University of Amsterdam-Beirut Arab University)

“Negotiating Religious Authority through Family Law: A Comparative Analysis of Religious Elites in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey,” Mohamed Gamal Ali (Cairo University) and Drhimeur Lalla Amina (Sciences Po-Lyon)

Discussant: Mahan Mirza (Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, University of Notre Dame)

17:20 Session 5: Author Meets Critics Panel

Book: Religion and World Politics: Connecting Theory with Practice (Routledge, 2023)
Author: Erin K. Wilson (University of Groningen)

Panelists:
Peter Mandaville (George Mason University/Georgetown University)
Kristina Stoeckl (LUISS University)
Gregorio Bettiza (University of Bologna)

Moderator: Scott Appleby (University of Notre Dame)

19:00 Reception sponsored by the University of Notre Dame Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion and the Rome Summer Seminars on Religion and Global Politics.