"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 8 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

Recap: European Academy of Religion 2025

The annual conference of the European Academy of Religion, organized by the Research Center RaT, took place from July 8 to 12, 2025, under the theme "Religion and Socio-Cultural Transformation: European Perspectives and Beyond" at the main building of the University of Vienna.

The conference attracted nearly 1,200 participants from over 60 countries, who engaged in discussions on the current state of their research across more than 200 panels. A particular highlight of the conference, in addition to the keynote lectures, was the opening address by Rector Sebastian Schütze.

From RaT's perspective, the conference was a resounding success and contributed to strengthening the significance of Vienna as a hub for theology and religious studies.

The conference's organizing team has written a retrospective, which also extends gratitude to the many institutions both within and outside the university that provided financial and personnel support during the planning phase of the conference.

The full text can be read here.

 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 38: Religious and Non-Religious Narratives on Migration. Interdisciplinary Perspectives

edited by Regina Polak, Aybiçe Tosun, and Ansgar Jödicke

New Issue: JRAT 11 (1/2025)

Dancing with the Absence: Rethinking Theology with Michel de Certeau

edited by Isabella Bruckner, Carlos Álvarez, and Stella Morra

New: RaT Series Volume 34, 

„Kind, von deiner Jugend an erwähle Bildung“ (Sirach 6,18). Biblische und judaistische Beiträge zu Bildung und Weisheit

edited by Constanza Cordoni, Günter Stemberger, and Károly Dániel Dobos

 

 

 RaT Features

In this category, we present a selection of recent books and projects by our members. Currently:

 

 

Rüdiger Lohlker: Geschichte des islamischen Denkens über Herrschaft. Facultas 2025

Link to the publication

Zekirija Sejdini (ed.): Forum Islamisch-Theologische Studien (1/2025)

Link to the publication (full access)

Marco Fiorletta: Hölderlin e l’immagine socchiusa. Riflessioni sul frammento «Und der Himmel wird…» dello Homburger Folioheft tra materialità, divino e segno, in: Studia theodisca – Hölderliniana IV (2025): 291–315

Link to the Publication.