23-26/08/2016 - Summer School: “Religious Pluralism in the Middle East” (Kiato)

The Department of Political Science and International Relations (PSIR),in association with the Center for Religious Pluralism in the Middle East (CRPME), is pleased to announce and invite applications for its third Youth Summer School at its new premises in the seaside town of Kiato. This year, Youth Summer School 2016’s focal theme is titled “Religious Pluralism in the Middle East”and will be held on 23rd-26th August.

Overview and TopicsThe 2016 PSIR Youth Summer School is designed to encourage and bring together scholars and students who display an interest or seek to develop acommitment to the study of the diversity of religionsand ensuing cultural heritage in the Middle Eastand the Mediterranean.It particularly targets pre-early career university students of any level and young professionals who are strongly interested in deepening or gaining knowledge of the subject fieldand, thereby, acquiring a useful educational building block for further research or/and future professional career.

Among the topics the School sets out to examine are:
- Challenges and opportunities for religious pluralism in the Mediterranean and the Middle East,
- Protection of the cultural and religious heritage with focus oninternational and regional means and understandings,
- Religious pluralism and co-existence in the Holy Land (Israel/Palestine),
- Legal framework for the safeguarding and the broadening of religious pluralism in the region,Geopolitics of religion and religious pluralism,Geopolitics of religion and religious pluralism.

The purpose of the 2016 PSIR Youth Summer School is to enable participants to:
- Sketch out the current circumstances regarding challenges and opportunities for religious pluralism in the Mediterranean and the Middle East,
- Analyze the impact of geopolitics of religion on the current situation in the Middle East,
- Present various tools and initiatives for the Protection of the cultural and religious heritage,
- Examine policies of addressing the ascent of religious extremism.
- Offer an understanding of issues arising from the close co-existence of Holy Places in a land of conflicting national narratives,
- Discuss specific examples of religious pluralism and interreligious dialogue.

Learning Outcomes Upon the completion of the 2016 PSIR Youth Summer School are expected to:
- have developed a capacity to understandthe complexity of the subject field and critically think about itfrom an interdisciplinary, multi-levelled and comparative perspective,
- demonstrate competence in synthesizing theoretical insights and arguments,
- have acquired extensive knowledge of religious dynamics and their impact on the political and social development in the Middle East and the Mediterranean,
- beable to analyze the reciprocal relationship of geopolitics and religious extemism in the Middle East and the Mediterranean,
- relate theory to practicein orderto explain events, trends and occurrences concerning religious pluralism the Middle East and the Mediterranean,
- have enhanced their learning skills to publicly communicate in English, both in oral and written forms, for scholarly purposes.

Read more at the attached files.