This International Conference is a unique forum intended to bring together scholars, researchers, practitioners of diverse religious traditions and spiritualities, and policy makers for intellectual exchange and dialogue. Academics and representatives of religious/spiritual communities and organisations drawn from Africa, the Caribbean, North & South America, Europe and the Middle East will explore interrelated issues on religion, spirituality, social capital, public role, definitions of and measures towards combating poverty.

The production of religious and spiritual synergies forms a key focus, particularly in how and what consequences the interaction and competition between religious traditions in Africa and the African Diaspora can be within the social arena. Competition and synergy of spiritualities can actually produce movements of social service such as education, clinics, poverty alleviation schemes, sustainable development as they seek to hold market share and sustain relevance.

First, the conference will provide a platform in which researchers on African and African-derived religions and spiritualities encounter practitioners of religious traditions and communities firsthand. The conference will serve as a laboratory in which scholars/researchers can test their hypotheses and/or present research findings on respective groups, with corresponding feedback from the practitioners themselves.

Second, the conference attempts to stimulate and foster a common dialogue, by gathering people with diverse research expertise on the one hand, and practitioners with varied religious/spiritual backgrounds on the other, to highlight and explore how and to what extent African and diaspora religious traditions and spiritualities may cohere on the critical issues which confront the African continent, their faiths in relation to the wider, global community.

It is envisaged that the Conference will provide rich information on beliefs and practices of religious/spiritual traditions and how they impact on their communities and the larger society. It is intended to build synergies and forge dialogue on how religious/spiritual communities in Africa and the African Diaspora can combat poverty and foster sustainable development.

The conference programme shall focus on the following and related sub-themes:

1. •Religion, spiritualities and sustainable development in Africa and the African Diaspora
   

2. •Religion/spiritualities, their definitions and alleviation of poverty
   

3. •Religion, spirituality and politics
   

4. •Religion/spirituality, science and technology
   

5. •Religious, spiritual, cultural identities
   

6. •New approaches to interfaith dialogue and coexistence
   

7. •Religion, spirituality and African politico-economies
   

8. •Religion, spirituality, social capital and public role
   

9. •Religion and war, violence, conflict resolution and management
   

10. •Religion, spiritualities and health
    

11. •Ethics, socio-cultural values, and social action
    

12. •African diasporic religions and spiritualities
    

13. •African and African-derived religions and spiritualities in a new global order
    

More information about the conference and conference presenters can be found on this site. We hope to see you in Nairobi in July!