5th Annual Conference, 1^st – 4^th July 2024,
Dorint Hotel Frankfurt / Oberursel (Germany) 

The International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society has been at the centre of the recent significant growth in social scientific and humanities research focusing on science, religion, and belief in society. Following our successful conference in 2023 at the University of Birmingham, UK, this 5^th annual conference of the network will continue a primarily in-person format. We welcome previous attendees and those who have yet to interact with the network for the 2024 conference.

As this field of research has grown it has engaged in myth-busting popular perceptions and stereotypes about the relationship between science and religion, which treat both science and religious/spiritual populations as monolithic. To date, much of this foundational and vital research has aimed at empirical description, and this conference seeks to build on this essential work and address future avenues for research within the social scientific and historical study of science, religion, and belief in society. Further, we hope the conference will advance the development of ways of theorising the complex relationships between science and religion in their varying global manifestations and to further understand the practical implications and applications of research in this field.

This conference will bring together international researchers with backgrounds in sociology, science and technology studies, psychology, political science, history, social anthropology, and related humanities or social science disciplines, to discuss perspectives on the overarching topic of science and belief in society.

We have invited submissions of papers that relate to any aspect of STEMM (science, technology, engineering, medicine, and mathematics) in society, that discuss any religious, spiritual or non-religious tradition, position or worldview. Particularly, abstracts that relate to the following themes:

• Public engagement with STEMM in pluralistic or religiously diverse societies;
• The social scientific and historical study of the relationship between science and religious and/or non-religious belief and identity;
• Public perceptions of the relationship between science, religion and non-religion and their respective roles in society; 
• National and international comparative perspectives on the study of science, religion and belief in society;
• Past and present media or popular representations of science, religion and belief in society;
• The past or present roles of science, rationalism, religion and belief in national, social or cultural identity and related geopolitical narratives;
• Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of science, religion and non-religion in society;
• Methodological approaches to, and issues in, the study of science, religion and belief in society;
• Studies on the impact of publics’ views on science and religion on policy making, and provision for religious, spiritual or non-religious communities across a range of geographies and issues (e.g. healthcare provision, educational policy, science policy, environmental policy or development);
• Religion and inequalities in access to science and technology, including the intersections between religious and racial, ethnic, class and/or gender inequalities.

Programme

• Day 1 (Mon 1st July): Workshops and networking sessions – Begins 11am
• Day 2 (Tue 2nd July): Panel sessions & keynote
• Day 3 (Wed 3rd July): Panel sessions & keynote
• Day 4 (Thu 4th July): Panel sessions & keynote – Closes 5pm

All presenting speakers have been allocated 30 minutes in the conference programme. Please keep presentations to a maximum of 20 minutes, allowing 10 minutes for questions.

Abstract Booklet

Conference Costs and Bursaries for Speakers
This conference is funded by the International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society, as part of a grant from the Templeton Religion Trust. Please note that for all successful speaking applicants, accommodation and registration costs will be covered by this grant. In addition, a number of bursaries are also available to help with costs that may be incurred as a result of conference participation:

• Conference attendance bursaries. For those attending the conference in-person, who do not have institutional funds for conference attendance, these bursaries are designed to allay the costs of attending.  
• Childcare/dependent bursaries. For both those participating in-person and online, these bursaries are to help cover the costs of any extra childcare or other dependents’ costs incurred from participating.
• Digital inclusion bursaries. For those participating online these bursaries can be used to cover any extra costs incurred related to digital access (e.g. Wi-Fi costs or data packages). Please note these bursaries cannot be used for hardware (e.g. laptops).

We will prioritise those who have the most need such as postgraduate, early career, retired, low income/unwaged, or any researcher who may not ordinarily be able to access institutional funds. 

The conference is supported by the Templeton Religion Trust and is being held as part of the activities of the International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society, based at the University of Birmingham (UK).

Dorint Hotel Frankfurt / Oberursel

The conference will be held at the Dorint Hotel Frankfurt / Oberursel, Germany. The hotel is 25 minutes by taxi from Frankfurt Airport, and one hour via public transport. Travel arrangement and instruction will be shared with conference attendees. Follow this link to learn more about Oberursel.

For more information about the conference or wider network please contact INSBS@contacts.bham.ac.uk.