|
Invitation to an
International Conference
Extremist and Social Peace
May 11-12 Jakarta,
Indonesia
with
Paramadina
University
Theme
Extremism, in any forms, is a symptom of a growing catastrophe
in the present world. No matter which kind of extremism
is--religious, non-religious or anti-religious motive and its
background, including extreme arrogance--this contemporary
social pathology is life threatening. A devastated social order,
a crisis of humanity, decline of civilization, absence of peace
are global existential threats we face today from Jerusalem to
Kandahar, from Aleppo to Kiev, from the Pentagon to Riyadh.
Ignorance
and reluctance to acknowledge this fact makes our situation
worse. If Hannah
Arendt says, “Violence
is a result of failure in human communication”
then “The present
malaise and catastrophe is a result of failure in man’s
knowledge”. Alexis
Carrel, a Nobel Prize Winner, says, “Modern
man is a stranger in the world that he has created. He has been
incapable of organizing this world because he did not possess a
practical knowledge of his own nature”.
This conference will provide a chance to talk about the world
and ourselves. It will raise deep questions in a broad framework
to uncover the underlying root causes of extremism as a
psycho-sociopathic phenomenon in the modern world.
Questions on existing extremism will be examined under three
perspectives, namely, Critical Social Theory, Culture, and
Philosophy. The first perspective will employ root cause
analysis on extremism as a social phenomenon. The second will
conceive extremism as a product of a certain mentality. The
third will endeavor to apply philosophical reflection on
extremism as a mode of human action. It is expected that each
analysis will generate fresh ideas and understanding on this
ruthless peril for humanity and civilization. Those interested
to contributing are welcome.
On the basis of the above description, the conference theme has
five sub-themes:
1. Extremism,
Social Peace and Justice
2. Extremism,
Desperation, and the Irrational
3. Radicalism
and Instrumental Reason
4. The
Role of Islamic Intellectual Tradition in Eliminating Religious
Extremism
5. The
Postmodern Age and Extremism
Logistics
Scholars who are interested with this issue are kindly invited
to submit their papers. Abstracts of 250-300 words with a short
vita are to be sent to husain_heri@yahoo.com by
April 28, 2014. Full papers can be sent by May, 5, 2014. Final
papers for publication, which hopefully will be published by
Paramadina University and RVP in a joint volume, are due on
October 5, 2014.
The conference will not charge any fees. Participants, however,
will cover their own travel and accommodation. The organizer
will provide meals. The conference will be held at the
Paramadina University, in South Jakarta (it takes approximately
one hour from Soekarno Hatta Airport, Cengkareng).
Contact
Husain Heriyanto
Paramadina University
Jakarta, Indonesia
husain_heri@yahoo.com
|
