Guest lecture by Vanja Savić "Why is Religion so special for the Law? Is it really?", 30.5.2016

In this lecture, Vanja Savić dealt with the special position of religion in the legal systems of the world. Starting from the dramatic "Multani Case" (Canada), which had caused lively debates around the world, the level of protection religion and religious expression as a human right should have were discussed. Here, he addressed the complex issue of clashes between different human rights (e.g. security vs. religious freedom). A second example was the regulation of public order and morals through constitutional law. Vanja Savić demonstrated how various different religious communities had engaged in an initiative in order to secure a traditional position of family in the Croatian referendum case on marriage. In this case, public order and morals had been negotiated in legal terms. Drawing on empirical examples, this lecture aimed to discuss the particular relation of religion and law in different regions of the world.

Dr. Vanja-Ivan Savić is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law and Head of Department for Legal Theory. His area of expertise includes legal theory, theory of law and state, law and religion, corporate criminal law and human rights. With research and teaching experience form international institutions such as University of Edinburgh, Northwestern University and DePaul University Vanja Savic is a renowned expert in the field of legal theory and religion. His research focus on Croatia as well as Bosnia and Herzegowina is closely connected to the role of law as facilitator of peaceful cohabitation.