Religion, Secrecy and Security: Religious Freedom
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Date
2004-04-16
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ohio State University. Mershon Center for International Security Studies
Abstract
Mershon is funding a small conferenceon the topic of religion,
secrecy and security in a global context that will offer an
explicitly comparative, cross-cultural and interdisciplinary
approach to the problems of secrecy and religion. The scholars
involved will be drawn not only from the field of religious studies,
but also from political science, sociology, law, anthropology and
communications. Tentatively proposed for Autumn 2003, the
conference will involve an intensive discussion of papers
submitted by twelve participants and two public keynote lectures
for the University community at large.
The conference will address the following key questions: Why do
some religious traditions insist that certain aspects of their beliefs
and practices remain secret and closed to outsiders? Is secrecy a
potentially dangerous force within religious traditions, either as a
means of concealing immoral activities (such as pedophilia or
other sexual crimes) or as a means of conducting subversive and
violent activities (such as terrorism)? Conversely, how far should
government agencies be allowed to go in order to monitor or
infiltrate religious groups that may pose a threat to other
individuals or to national security? And to what degree do such
groups retain the rights to privacy and freedom from government
surveillance?
These questions have become all the more critical in the wake of
recent events within the United States itself. The spread of
terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda have generated a whole new
wave of fears --not only the fear of infiltration by secretive and
destructive religious movements, but also the fear that this will in
turn lead to the loss of privacy and freedom for many alternative
religious groups who now face more ever intense government
scrutiny within an increasingly "surveilled" society.
Description
The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.
Keywords
religion, freedom, security