CFP: Political Theology Beyond

The Brink, the blog of the journal Political Theology, invites proposals for symposia that expand conversations about political theology in the direction of the comparative, the colonial, the postcolonial, or the decolonial. As Robert Yelle put it in his introduction to a recent special issue of the journal, “What does political theology mean outside of Europe and Christianity? What resources do other traditions offer for framing alternative theories of sovereignty, polity, and belonging?” 

We might add: what does political theology look like when the wells of critical theory it draws on include postcolonial or decolonial theory? What would political theology look like if empire, colonialism, and settler colonialism supplemented or replaced sovereignty as core concepts? What horizons does comparison open – or close – as a method in political theology?

We understand political theology broadly, to mean inquiry at the intersection of religion and politics – inquiry that takes religious ideas, practices, and imagination seriously, inquiry that is rigorous, and inquiry that cares about justice. Essays in The Brink are informed by scholarship and engaged with theory, but they speak in a public voice, avoiding unnecessary technical language and making clear to readers why their topics matter today.

Symposia consist of 2-6 essays, each 1500-2000 words, about a shared theme, addressing a shared question, or using a shared approach. We especially encourage symposia and essays that are experimental or unexpected; that approach familiar concepts in new ways; that are in conversation with social justice movements; that engage with postcolonial or decolonial theory; that tarry with comparison; and that center feminist, queer, and Indigenous approaches and voices.

Proposals are due April 22, 2022. In a document of about 400-500 words: 

1. Describe the focus of your symposium, and its significance
2. Discuss what possible approaches your contributors may employ 
3. Explain why you and the group of people in the symposium fit together and fit with the theme of your symposium 
4. List the possible best dates for your symposium to run between August 2022 and December 2023 
5. Provide link(s) to one or two online writing samples from any member(s) of your symposium. 

We will value proposals that include a diverse range of authors from different career stages, a gender balance among authors, authors from the Global South, and non-academics.

Questions and proposals can be sent to Méadhbh McIvor (meadhbh.mcivor@manchester.ac.uk), Milinda Banerjee (mb419@st-andrews.ac.uk), copying Laura Simpson (l.a.simps@gmail.com). We will review submissions on a rolling basis.

The blog is supported by the editorial advisory board:

Leila Brännström, Senior Lecturer in Law, Lund University, Sweden

Salmoli Choudhuri, Doctoral Candidate in History, Cambridge University, UK

Kathy Chow, Doctoral Candidate in Religious Studies, Yale University, USA

Siphiwe Dube, Senior Lecturer in Political Studies, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

Zahiye Kundos, Postdoctoral Fellow, Forum Transregionale Studien, Berlin, Germany

Azfar Moin, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Texas, USA

Carlos Manrique Ospina, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of the Andes, Colombia

Noah Salomon, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Virginia, USA

Moiz Tundawala, Associate Professor of Law, Jindal Global Law School, India

Robert Yelle, Professor of Religious Studies, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany