The Faculty of Political Science announces a series of lectures given by Professor Bülent Şenay from Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey. The lectures will be held at the headquarters in 8, Spiru Haret str., 1989 hall, according to the time table below

17 December
14:30 Geopolitical perceptions and religion(s) in the global world
15:30 Postcolonial studies, Orientalism, and Geopolitics
16:30 Theo-politics and `the End of History`

18 December
8:30 Human rights, religious extremism and public space
9:30 Religion, Risk and the City in the Age of Matrix

This series of multidisciplinary lectures surveys and compares the role of religion in global politics, international and cultural relations. It is clear that religion has and continues to play a major role in global and domestic politics. While the world seemed primarily focused on the recent role of Islam, this course recognizes the role of all the other major religions (defined as those faiths with a “world-wide” presence) in the shaping of `geopolitics` of history and culture. The key objective of the course is to develop solid knowledge of the interrelations between geopolitics, history and religion.

Formerly diplomatic counselor for religious and cultural affairs at the Turkish Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, Dr. Bülent Şenay (PhD in cultural and religious studies from Lancaster University, UK) is currently professor of history of religion and culture at the Department of Philosophy and Religion, Faculty of Theology, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.

He started as a lecturer of Muslim Philosophy and Ethics at the University College of St. Martin’s (1996-1999) and continued as Associate Professor of History of Religion, Interreligious Hermeneutics, Religion and Ecology, Islam in Modern World (BA level), Civilisational Landscapes and Christian-Muslim Relations throughout history (MA level), and Islam and Religious Other (PhD level), at the Faculty of Theology, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey (2000-2008). His biography includes various publications and lectures on philosophy of `religious other`, `teaching religion in multicultural / plural society`, `interreligious dialogue/trialogue`, `philosophy and ethics of disagreement and public space in Islamic Thought`, `anatomy of contemporary Islamic movements`. His research interest is focused on religion and identity in multicultural societies, Christian-Jewish-Muslim relations, religion and politics in Europe. A member of several international academic associations and editorial boards, he has been special guest in many international conferences and coordinated several European projects. Dr. Şenay has been a participant at both academic and diplomatic level in the Intercultural Exchange Project of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. He also took part as guest speaker in OSCE Review Conferences on Human rights, Islamophobia and Freedom of Religion in Vienna, Warsaw, and Astana. In 2008 he was William James Visiting Professor at Bayreuth University, Germany and he was a member of several PhD commissions at the University of Amsterdam. Dr. Senay was special guest speaker at the Princeton University's Institute for International and Religious Studies.