Religion and Spirituality in Society Newsletter, November 2011

2012 Religion Conference to be Held in Vancouver  Find Out More >

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Headline News

Call for Book Reviewers Common Ground Publishing is seeking distinguished peer reviewers to evaluate book manuscripts submitted to the Religion in Society Book Series. As part of our commitment to intellectual excellence and a rigorous review process, Common Ground sends book manuscripts that have received initial editorial approval to peer reviewers to further evaluate and provide constructive feedback. The comments and guidance that these reviewers supply is invaluable to our authors and an essential part of the publication process. Common Ground recognizes the important role of referees by acknowledging book reviewers as members of the Religion in Society Book Series Editorial Review Board for a period of at least one year. The list of members of the Editorial Review Board will be posted on our website. In addition, Common Ground also offers a US$200 voucher for each completed review which meets the standards set out by the Commissioning Editor at the commencement of assignment. Vouchers may be used in the Common Ground Bookstore or for registration at one of our international conferences. If you would like to referee book manuscripts submitted to Religion in Society please email: a brief description of your professional credentials a list of your areas of interest and expertise a copy of your CV with current contact details If we feel you are qualified and we require refereeing for manuscripts within your purview, we will contact you.

Community News

bibleQuran: Comparing the Word Frequency between Bible and Quran From Jess3 bibleQuran[pitchinteractive.com] by datavis design firm Pitch Interactive reveals the frequency of word usage between two of the most important holy books: the Bible and the Quran. The densely populated interactive visualization allows people to search for any word (and similar variations of that word) to explore its frequency in both texts. As each verse is always visible, one is able to compare the relative density of ideas and topics between both passages. For instance, one could select verbs that represent acts of ‘terror’ or ‘love’, and investigate which book discusses the topics more. The appropriate little rectangles, each representing an according verse, which include such this chosen word, are then highlighted, and can be read in detail by hovering the mouse over them. To Read More… What Happens when a Leftist Philosopher Discovers God? From Peter Berger, The American Interest Society is the social science journal superbly edited by Jonathan Imber. In its fall issue it carries an article by Philippe Portier (Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris), entitled “Religion and Democracy in the Thought of Juergen Habermas”. Coincidentally, in a recent issue of the German news magazine Der Spiegel, Habermas is on a list of German celebrity intellectuals who pop up continuously in the media. (The list includes Margot Kaessmann, the Protestant bishop who resigned after being caught driving under the influence. Curiously, she only became a celebrity after this unfortunate incident.) Habermas has been a public intellectual (a more polite term for celebrity) for a very long time. I have never been terribly interested in Habermas, but the coincidence made me think about him. Portier’s article does tell an intriguing story. It might be called a man-bites-dog story. Habermas is exactly my age. Our paths crossed briefly in the 1960s, when he was a visiting professor in the Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research, where I was then teaching. We did not particularly take to each other. I was put off by both his leftist politics and his ponderous philosophical language. (German philosophers, no matter where located on the ideological spectrum, vie with each other in producing texts which are comprehensible only to a small group of initiates.) I also sensed a certain professorial arrogance. I remember reading a response by Habermas to a critic, limited to the statement that he refused to discuss with an individual who quoted Hegel from a secondary source. To Read More…

Conference News

2012 Religion Conference to be Held in Vancouver Location and Date The 2012 Religion Conference will be held in Vancouver, Canada at UBC’s Satellite in downtown Vancouver: Robson Square from 20-22 February. For more information, please visit www.Religion-Conference.com Plenary Speakers We are currently working on our plenary speaker line-up. Please visit our website for updates and further information. Call for Papers If you intend to present a paper at the conference, your participation begins with submission of a paper proposal. For information on proposals, presentation types, and other options, please click here. To submit a proposal click here and follow the online instructions. If your proposal is accepted, you will then need to register for the conference. Registration Those who submit paper proposals should register following the acceptance of the proposal. Conference delegates who do not intend to present may register at any time. For registration options, or to register for the 2012 Religion Conference, click here. Themes The themes for the International Religion and Spirituality in Society Conference are loosely grouped into four categories: Religious Foundations Religious Community and Socialization Religious Commonalities and Differences The Politics of Religion More details on these themes can be seen online here. Please do note that these themes are meant to be rather broad so as to encompass a larger group of interests. Scope and Concerns The Religion Conference scope and concerns is outlined here. Contact Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have. We can be reached by email at support@religioninsociety.com or by phone at +1 (217) 328-0405.

Publishing News

Editing Services Now Available Aging and Society: An Interdisciplinary Journal is pleased to offer editing services for authors who would like to have their work professionally edited. Authors may request editing services prior to the initial submission of their paper or after the refereeing process. In some cases referees may recommend that a paper be edited as a condition of publication. The services offered below can help authors during the revision stage, before the final submission of their paper. Please contact journals@agingandsociety.com for more information. What we do: Correct spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors Revise for clarity, readability, logic, awkward word choice, and phrasing Check for typos and formatting inconsistencies Confirm proper use of an author-identified referencing style What we don’t do: Add content to your paper Verify references What we need from you: Your paper, abstract, and author bio-note The referencing style used in your paper (e.g. MLA, CMS, APA, etc.) Our guarantee: If a manuscript that we have edited is rejected by a Common Ground journal on purely English language grounds, you can receive either a full refund or have your manuscript re-edited free of charge. However, if you make alterations to your paper after we edit it or choose not to accept our recommended revisions, you are not eligible for a refund or free re-editing. Our Copyeditors Common Ground’s copyeditors are all native English speakers with extensive editing experience and excellent communication skills. The editing process Email journals@agingandsociety to express your interest in having your paper edited. The Commissioning Editor of the Journal will review your paper and provide you with a quote. Once you accept the quote, the Commissioning Editor will assign a copyeditor to your paper. Within 7-14 business days of your confirmed payment, you will receive a copy of your edited paper via email. Disclaimer Please note that this service is not mandatory for publication in a Common Ground journal. Using this service does not guarantee acceptance for publication, nor are you obliged to submit your edited manuscript to a Common Ground journal. Request More Information For more information or to request a quote, please email journals@agingandsociety.com. Religion and Spirituality in Society Journal Submissions Open We are accepting submissions for The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society. The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society aims to create an intellectual frame of reference for the academic study of religion and spirituality, and to create an interdisciplinary conversation on the role of religion and spirituality in society. It is intended as a place for critical engagement, examination, and experimentation of ideas that connect religious philosophies to their contexts throughout history in the world, places of worship, on the streets, and in communities. The journal addresses the need for critical discussion on religious issues – specifically as they are situated in the present-day contexts of ethics, warfare, politics, anthropology, sociology, education, leadership, artistic engagement, and the dissonance or resonance between religious tradition and modern trends. Papers published in the journal range from the expansive and philosophical to finely grained analysis based on deep familiarity and understanding of a particular area of religious knowledge. They bring into dialogue philosophers, theologians, policymakers, and educators, to name a few of the stakeholders in this conversation. Refereeing of submitted papers will commence shortly so start the submission process early by submitting your proposal. Paper submission guidelines and timelines are available online.

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