FOR 1013:  Religious Individualisation in Historical Perspective

• Subject Area: Humanities
• Term: from 2008 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 56071455

The international Research Unit intends to thematize and re-evaluate the widespread diagnosis of modernity as encompassing individualisation from the perspective of the history of religion. Did the presence and extent of individual scope for religious action change religious traditions and religious reflections on individuality prior to and external to occidental modernity and during the period of modern theory formation? The idea here is to replace sweeping theories on individualisation and corresponding universal histories with scrutiny of the preconditions for, and forms of, phases of increasing and decreasing individualisation, together with investigation of the handing down and diffusion of religious concepts of individuality. By drawing on historical and systematic disciplines, we intend to open up new sources for religious history and scrutinise and modify paradigms for the description of religions, religious experience and religious change.
Transgressing the boundaries of eurocentrism and narrow concepts of modernity, the international Research Unit will analyse religious individuality and processes of individualisation in historical depth and geographical breadth by integrating various subdisciplines of religious studies.
Philosophy of religion, sociology of religion, psychology of religion and history of religion will be brought together in a lively interdisciplinary exchange, thus offering a stimulating framework for fellows to follow individual research projects. Thus, we hope to contribute to a more nuanced image of religious individualisation in the modern period and to open innovative historical perspectives - far beyond modern Europe - on the dynamics of religious traditions.

• DFG Programme: Advanced Studies Centres in SSH

Projects

• Religiöse Individualisierung in historischer Perspektive (Applicant Rüpke, Jörg )
• Religiöse Individualisierung in historischer Perspektive (Applicants Mulsow, Martin ;  Rüpke, Jörg )
• Religiöse Individualisierung in historischer Perspektive (Applicant Rüpke, Jörg )

• Spokespersons: Professor Dr. Martin Mulsow; Professor Dr. Jörg Rüpke