The interplay of cultural values, religions and human rights offers numerous possibilities for interdisciplinary research. Projects may inter alia aim at conceptual clarification, historical and phenomenological analysis, critical normative reflection, exploring the modes of institutionalizing values at different levels (global, regional, national, local) as well empirical research on normative attitudes and their impact on individuals, groups and States. With an intercultural perspective, we address questions of cultural mobility, discursive shifts, and the global negotiations of meaning behind various religious, cultural, social, and political patterns and practices.

The key research priority productively engages areas characterised by tensions, which have been the cause of repeated misunderstandings, conflicts, and even cultural wars. Human rights due to their universalistic claim of validity differ conceptually from conventional cultural values, but in order to be internalized by individuals, they still require the support of cultural values in specific contexts. For human rights to facilitate the fair and peaceful coexistence of people of different religious orientations, a conceptual and institutional differentiation is required between human rights and religion, often labeled as “secularism”.

The frequently assumed general bifurcation of religion and secularism does not adequately capture the manifold configurations that relate the two concepts and phenomena to each other. Similarly, the relationship between religion and culture is a source of contention. With the proposed key terms the dynamic aspects of cultural difference, exchange and transformation are in the focus of this research field.

Outstanding Activities

• DFG RTG 1718:  Presence and Tacit Knowledge
• DFG RU 1533: Sacrality and Sacralisation in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Age. Intercultural Perspectives in Europe and Asia
• Elite Master’s degree programme: Standards of Decision-Making across Cultures
• Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (CHREN)
• Emerging Fields Initiative: Human Rights in Healthcare
• Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Gender, Difference and Diversity
• Centre for Euro-Oriental Studies (CEOS)
• Clinical Ethics Committee of the FAU-University Clinic (membership since March 2017)
• Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE): participation in the Advisory Board for freedom of religion or belief (since September 2016)
• United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief 2010 – 2016
• Norwegian Centre for Human Rights in Oslo (co-operation since September 2016)
• German Commission Justititia et Pax (membership since 1999, working area of human rights)
• German Society for American Studies, DGfA (vice presidency)
• Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), chamber for worldwide ecumenical relations (membership)
• Association of Protestant Churches and Missions in Germany (membership in the executive board)
• Bavarian American-Academy, BAA (Directorate)
• Mission EineWelt (presidency of the curatorship)
• Synod of the Evangelical Regional Church in Bavaria (membership)

Contact

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heiner Bielefeldt

• Organization: Department of Political Science
• Working group: Chair in Human Rights and Human Rights Politics (Prof. Dr. Bielefeldt)
• Phone number: +49 9131 85-23273
• Email: heiner.bielefeldt@fau.de

Prof. Dr. Heike Paul

• Organization: Department of English and American Studies
• Working group: Chair of American Studies (Prof. Dr. Paul)
• Phone number: +49 9131 85-22437
• Email: heike.paul@fau.de

Prof. Dr. Andreas Nehring

• Job title: Lehrstuhl für Religions- u. Missionswiss.
• Organization: Department of Systematic Theology
• Working group: Chair of Religious Studies and Theology of Christian Mission
• Phone number: 09131/85-22413 od. 26588
• Email: andreas.nehring@fau.de