International Conference
"Religion and the Public Sphere"
2 – 5 July 2013

PROGRAM

3 July
The American Academic Center in Sofia

Opening Session: Religion and the Public Sphere. The Challenges of Interdisciplinarity

Assoc. Prof. Dr Simeon Evstatiev, Sofia University
- Religion and the Public Sphere. The Research Challenges of Interdisciplinarity
Prof. Dr Dale Eickelman, Dartmouth College, USA
- Religion, Public Islam, and the Common Good

Session: Normative Approaches and Philosophical Discussions on Religion and the Public Sphere
Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rossitsa Gradeva

Prof. Dr. Habil. Plamen Makariev, Sofia University
Prof. Dr. Habil. Stilian Yotov, Sofia University
PhD Candidate Kiril Vassilev, Sofia University
Discussants: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivo Hristov, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ilia Iliev, PhD Candidate Ljubcho Atanassovski

Session: Christianity and Islam as "Public Religions". Comparative Perspectives
Moderator: Dr. Daniela Kalkandjieva

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Zabaev, St. Tihon Orthodox University, Moscow
Yana Kozmina, Center for the Sociology of Religion, St. Tihon Orthodox University, Moscow
PhD Candidate Mila Begova, Sofia University
Discussants: Dr. Angeliki Ziaka, Dr. Momchil Metodiev, PhD Candidate Tzvetomira Antonova

4 July

Session: Genealogy of the Public Sphere: Historical and Ethnographical Perspectives
Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivo Hristov

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rossitsa Gradeva, Institute of Balkan Studies with the Center of Thracian Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Asst. Prof. Dr. Ilia Iliev, Sofia University
PhD Candidate Dessislava Popova, Sofia University
PhD Candidate Emanuil Gueorguiev, Sofia University
Discussants: Asst. Prof. Dr. Galina Evstatieva, Dr. Daniela Kalkandjieva, Dr. Angeliki Ziaka, PhD Candidate Kiril Vassilev

Session: Religion, Law, Secrecy
Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Simeon Evstatiev

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivo Hristov, Plovdiv University
Dr. Momchil Metodiev, Editor in Chief of the Journal Christianity and Culture
PhD Candidate Tzvetomira Antonova, Sofia University
Discussants: Prof. Dr. Habil. Stilian Yotov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Zabaev, Assoc. Prof. Dr Rossitsa Gradeva, PhD Candidate Stefan Ilchevski

Session: Religion, Media, Education
Moderator: Prof. Dr. Habil. Plamen Makariev

Dr. Daniela Kalkandjieva, Sofia University
Dr. Angeliki Ziaka, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
PhD Candidates Tzvetomira Antonova and Dessislava Popova, Sofia University
Discussants: Asst. Prof. Dr. Galina Evstatieva, Dr. Momchil Metodiev, PhD Candidate Kiril Vassilev

Public Debate, 3 July
Sofia University, Rectorate Building, New Conference Hall

Public Lecture by Prof. Dr. Dale F. Eickelman, Dartmouth College (USA)
Islamism and Governance after the Arab Spring

Debate: Religion, Politics, and the Public Sphere
Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Simeon Evstatiev, Sofia University

Participants: representatives of the Orthodox Christian and the Muslim denominations in Bulgaria as well as CSR affiliates