240033 VS "Holy Terror" - On Religion & Violence (3.3.5) (2017W)

The Lecture-Seminar explores interdependences of religious belief and violent articulation and examines diverse notions of 'terror' within anthropological and transdisciplinary frames. Concepts and modes of violence between action, event and experience are researched within their respective socio-cultural and historic frames. To gain understanding in these issues the position or role of the agents involved is crucial and a multitude of theoretical-methodological approaches have been developed, and whether the people involved and engaged are 'actor', 'protagonist', 'narrator' or are, as in the well-known, established triad, 'witness', 'victim' and 'perpetrator' yields quite different results. Also examined is the issue of collective and individual memory and knowledge of how to articulate and perform 'belief' and what can be understood as 'politics of religion' as possible code of practice. Based on selected case studies forms and concepts of terror and belief are critically analysed and compared from cross-cultural, post-colonial anthropological and trans-disciplinary perspectives.

The seminar's goal is providing theoretical-methodological knowledge to enable participants to gain insight and competences for independant further work in the relevant topic areas.

This is an inter-active course. Apart from some introductory input lectures the seminar is based on intense communication, open discussion, active contribution and group work of all participants, based on the use of literature and multi-media materials. With special guests.

The seminar is conducted in English and/or German.