Introduction to the special issue on racism and religion

Abstract

In November the Multidisciplinary Racism arranged an international conference on the theme of Racism and Religion. It was the fi rst of its kind to be held in Sweden, drawing together the disciplines of Racism Studies and Religious Studies in order to highlight some of today ’ s most urgent and compelling issues and questions. For three days scholars, from around the world, came together to explore and discuss how racism and religion, historically and in the present, intermingle in different and complex ways. The aim was to understand how religion in its different constellations continues to produce and uphold, as well as counter, colonial structures, nationalism, and state racism. The aim was also to invite scholars to think about the role of religion, religious practices, and spiritualties within counter movements, such as indigenous rights movements. The goal of the conference was to create a platform for scholars interested in the intersections between racism and religion from which new interdisciplinary collaborations and projects could emanate to establish and further develop this research area, in both Sweden and internationally. The conference included twenty-three panel sessions offering a wide range of presentations re fl ecting a great diversity in topics. Some of the central themes presented dealt with experiences of racism and discrimination among religious minorities, the intersections of gender and religion, which in turn opened up important discussions on the meaning of secularism, nationalism, and feminist struggles. Other themes included the development of state racism and fascism in different parts of the world as well as expressions of particular kinds of racism, such as antisemitism and mentioned above that were included in the conference give us an indication of current research areas where the intersections on racism and religion are being explored. As such, the conference was informed by the deconstructive scholarship of the category of religion brought the Muftee is a sociologist and researcher Multidisciplinary Studies on Racism (Cemfor) at Uppsala University. Her research area revolves around migration studies, diaspora, postcolonial feminism, and issues of racism and discrimination. Her postdoc project at Cemfor focuses on Muslim women ’ s experiences of Islamophobia and strategies of expressing their subjectivities through art and activism within a Swedish context.