The matrix of long-term ideas – such as the necessity of separating religion and politics, the perception of religion as a disturbance in public spaces, and the idea that intertwining politics and religion creates absolute power – have shaped  European political imagery and cultures. This imagery is continuously utilized by European political actors to build ideological arguments that secularization goes hand-in-hand with a decline of religion in the public space and is a sine qua none condition for democracy and integration of new  citizens. It also shapes the ongoing debate on Hijab, crucifixes and minarets, that has made a come back on the political agendas of most of European countries.

 The goal of this panel is to discuss the “resurrection” (non pun intended) of religion in both the political and academic arenas of Europe. Papers will address two main clusters of questions:

1) How to analyze the renewed manifestations of religion in social and political life without falling into the trap of the so called return of God or return of religion?

2)  What are the theoretical consequences for the study of the influence of religion on politics?