"Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society"
brings together research on religion at the University of Vienna and makes it internationally visible. The centre currently involves around 70 researchers from 7 faculties and 14 disciplines (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Islamic theology, Jewish Studies, Islamic Studies and Religious Studies, Social Sciences, Law and Cultural Studies, History, Philosophy and Education, Evolutionary Biology).
Since our founding in 2010, we explore the reciprocal relationship between religion, religiosity and transformation processes in contemporary global contexts. The RaT research centre considers itself an academic contribution to a dialogue between the large religious traditions on the one hand and religion and the secular world on the other.
News
Success for JRAT: Journal edited by the research centre RaT reaches Q1 in the SCImago ranking
Success for JRAT: Journal edited by the research centre RaT reaches Q1 in the SCImago ranking
We are pleased to announce that the "Journal for Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society", published by RaT in open access, has risen to the top quarter of the best cited journals in the new SCImago ranking in the field of Religious Studies.
This means that our journal has significantly improved on its previous, already very respectable, position in Q2.
This is a great success for our center and makes an important contribution to increasing the international visibility of theology and religious studies at the University of Vienna. The high level of performance in these subjects at our university was recently confirmed by the new QS ranking, in which the University of Vienna was ranked 21st in the field of "Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies". This represents an improvement of 7 compared to the previous year, which means that Theology and Religious Studies once again occupies the second-best position among all subjects represented at the University of Vienna!
Upcoming Events
Maimonides Lectures: Die globale Renaissance des religiösen Lebens und ihre Herausforderungen
Sarah Scotti: Heilige Immanenz – Grundkonzepte des religiösen Naturalismus. Vortrag im Rahmen des "Forums Religionsphilosophie"
Herkunft – Zukunft – Jetzt: 250 Jahre Pastoraltheologie in Wien. Fachsymposium und Festveranstaltung
Publications
Here you can find an overview of the latest scientific publications of the research centre. This includes our journal JRAT, the Supplementa belonging to the journal and the RaT book series:
New Issue: RaT Series Volume 32, Das Böse in Gott? Ontologie des Bösen und des Leidens in der Philosophie Luigi Pareysons
by Mattia Coser
Neue Issue: RaT Series Volume 31, Taking Seriously, Not Taking Sides. Challenges and Perspectives in the Study of Religions
edited by Lukas K. Pokorny, and Astrid Mattes
New Issue: JRAT Supplementa Volume 4, Parting of the Ways. The Variegated Ways of Separations between Jews and Christians
edited by Markus Tiwald, and Markus Öhler
New Issue: RaT Series Volume 29, East Asian Religiosities in the European Union. Globalisation, Migration, and Hybridity
edited by Laurence Cox, Ugo Dessì, and Lukas K. Pokorny
Most recent open access articles published "in advance":
Graham Ward: Michel de Certeau: a Jesuit Apologist
Kurt Appel: Encounters with the Absolute – The Absolute as Encounter. Mark 16:1–8 and John 20:11–18
Tiziano Ferraroni: La Blessure de l’Autre : la Vulnérabilité comme Clé Anthropologique et Théologique de la Pensée de Michel de Certeau
Akif Tahiiev: Understanding the ‘Spirit’ of Qurʾānic Laws in Contemporary Shīʿī Islamic Thought
To access more articles currently published "in advance", click here.
RaT Features
In this category, we present a selection of recent books and projects by our members. Currently:
Appel, Kurt (2024): The Eighth Day. Biblical Time as Openness of Chronological Times. In: Ines Testoni, Fabio Scardigli et al.(eds.), Eternity Between Space and Time. From Consciousness to the Cosmos, De Gruyter: Berlin/Boston, pp. 163-172.
Gabriele Palasciano (ed.), "Christianisme, cancel culture et wokisme. Quel rapport au passé en société contemporaine?" Avec une note introductive de Noam Chomsky. L'Harmattan: Paris 2024.
Ikenna Okafor, Josee Ngalula Nicholaus Segeja, Stan Chu Ilo (eds.): Toward a Synodal Church in Africa: Echoes from an African Christian Palaver. Orbis Books 2024.