The Conference Theme
The EASR 2022 conference, held at University College Cork from 27 June to 1 July 2022, centred on the theme "Religions and States of Freedom." The programme promoted the non-confessional, non-theological academic study of religions, bringing together scholars from across Europe and beyond.
The conference coincided with the centenary of the founding of the Irish Free State, Saorstát Éireann, providing a rich historical backdrop for discussions on how religious traditions intersect with political freedom, state power, and social control.
Key Lines of Inquiry
Freedom & Oppression
Explorations of how religious communities have both advanced and resisted political freedom, and how states have used religion to legitimise oppression or colonisation.
Ireland's Journey
The Irish historical experience — from colonisation to independence — offered a compelling case study for examining the role of religious identity in nation-building and state formation.
Global Perspectives
Scholars addressed worldwide intersections of religious freedom with social oppression, minority rights, secular governance, and the politics of belief across diverse cultural contexts.
Academic Approach
Consistent with the EASR's mission, the conference maintained a strictly non-confessional and non-theological orientation. Presentations and panels examined religion as a human phenomenon — its institutions, practices, texts, and social dynamics — without privileging any particular tradition or truth claim.
Panel proposals opened on 6 August for the 2022 conference cycle, inviting both open and closed session formats. The programme encouraged interdisciplinary dialogue across history, sociology, anthropology, political science, and religious studies.
The conference theme of religions and states of freedom invites critical reflection on how religious communities navigate the shifting boundaries between liberty and constraint. Throughout history, religious traditions have both challenged oppressive regimes and, at times, reinforced structures of control. Scholars explore these dynamics across diverse cultural and political contexts, examining how state laws, secularism, and national identity shape religious expression. The centenary of the Irish Free State offers a particularly resonant setting for these conversations, as Ireland's own journey illustrates the complex interplay between faith, governance, and the pursuit of freedom in a rapidly changing society.
Freedom within religious contexts is rarely a straightforward concept. It can refer to the liberty of individuals to practise their beliefs, the autonomy of religious institutions from state interference, or the liberation from social and political oppression that religious movements sometimes champion. The academic study of religions provides tools to disentangle these meanings without adopting a confessional stance. By bringing together scholars from across Europe and beyond, the conference fosters comparative perspectives that illuminate how different societies negotiate the tensions between religious diversity, state authority, and the rights of individuals and communities.
The non-confessional approach central to this gathering ensures that discussions remain grounded in rigorous scholarly inquiry rather than advocacy or theology. This methodological commitment allows for nuanced examination of how religious traditions evolve in response to political change, migration, and secularisation. Participants engage with historical and contemporary case studies that reveal the adaptability of religious communities under varying degrees of state pressure or support. Such analysis is especially valuable at a moment when questions about religious freedom, national identity, and the role of faith in public life continue to shape political debates across Europe and beyond.
Hosts & Organisers
The conference was hosted by the UCC Study of Religions Department at University College Cork, in partnership with the Irish Society for the Academic Study of Religions (ISASR) and under the auspices of the European Association for the Study of Religions (EASR).
Conference secretariat services were provided by Abbey Conference & Events, Dublin. For historical reference, inquiries were directed to easr2022@easr2022.org or by phone at +353 1 6486 130.