Religion in the Public Sphere

This Master’s programme focuses on negotiations, practices and power relations concerning religion in various areas of the public sphere. In a broader sense, related categories and concepts such as identity, secularity, and modernity are major points of interest in this course of study. Geographically, the emphasis is initially on Europe, leading to subsequent international comparisons. This concerns the discourse on religion (e.g. exemptions for “religion” in social spheres) as well as discourses on individual religions (e.g. Christianity as “cultural heritage”, Islam as a “challenge”, and Buddhism as a “modern philosophy of life”). As such, this MA in Religion in the Public Sphere (RelPub) differs from many traditional religious studies programmes, which tend to focus on religious practice in religious communities. Students will be prepared to work in a professional environment that addresses these processes and the dynamics of multicultural, democratic societies. They will learn to analyse different conflict constellations, to address these constellations confidently and constructively, and to develop sustainable, solution-oriented strategies. The degree programme is offered by the Institute for the Study of Religion in cooperation with the Institute of Sociology. A special feature of the programme is the option of gaining a double degree instead of just the Master’s degree in Hannover. This is made possible through cooperation with Università Roma Tre (Italy).