Joint Conference in Nepal
Religiosity, Digital Media and Politics from Below African and Asian Perspectives
Summary
Joint conference on religiosity, digital media and politics from below African and Asian perspectives was held in collaboration with Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS), Nepal on February 26 (Wednesday) and February 27 (Thursday), 2025.
It was thought that religiosity would disappear from the public sphere by the end of the 20th century. Africa and Asia have embraced Western political and economic systems, which include nation-states, democracy, liberal economics, and the separation of church and state. However, as Casanova (1994) suggested, religions in Africa and Asia play a major role in shaping public life and occasionally pose a challenge to secular politics.
Examples include Islamic revival movements in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Indonesia, Christian and Hindu nationalism in Nepal, Ugandan evangelicals, and religious practices by minorities in globalized societies like Muslim communities in Japan or new Japanese religions in various African countries, etc.
These actions give rise to what we refer to as “grassroots politics”: diverse power dynamics that shape local communities and societies, ultimately impacting civil society movements, as well as different aspects of the economy, society, politics, and culture.
They also encompass different forms and connections to the social and political sphere.
What are the trends in these movements? How do grassroots religious practices and politics impact public political life?
The purpose of this conference is to examine how religiosity and “politics from below” are interconnected and their impact on the larger political scene.
It is focused on the following three points:
1) Exploring the relationship between religiosity and state politics in Africa and Asia.
2) The impact of everyday religious practices on grassroots politics.
3) The impact of ICTs on religious and political practices.
By examining Africa and Asia, this workshop aims to critically analyze Western frameworks in political science, presenting a more comprehensive and alternative view of religion and society.
Casanova, José. Public Religions in the Modern World. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1994.
Date & Venue
February 26-27, 2025（Wednesday, Thursday）
Wednesday, February 26: 9:00～17:40 (Nepal Standard Time). Thursday, February 27: 9:30～15:00 (Nepal Standard Time)
Conference Room, Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS), Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Program
Day 1 (Feb. 26)
9:00- Welcoming remarks (Prof. Mrigendra)
9:15- Presentation of the research program (Naoki Kashio, Kae Amo & Mitsuru Niwa)
9:20- Open symposium/Round Table: Religiosity, Politics from Below in Asia and in Africa (Every presenter)
Mrigendra Bahadur Karki (Tribhuvan University, Chair)
12:30- Lunch Break
13:30- Panel 1: Rethinking religions and politics from below
"The Paradox of Rebellious Religiosity from Below in a Religious State: The Case of Hossein’s Mourning Rituals in Contemporary Iran" [Kenichi Tani (Hitotsubashi University)]
"What street Islam and social media can teach us about contemporary Senegal?" [Abdourahmane Seck (Gaston Berger University)]
"Control of the conflict between High-Caste Hindu and non-Hindu: The Case related to Cows/Oxen in 2023" [Saya Araki (Kyoto University)]
Yo Nonaka (Keio University, Commentator)
15:40-17:40 Panel 2 Use of Digital media by religious actors 1
"New Religions on the Web in Contemporary Japan: A Case Study of YouTube Channel" [Naoki Kashio (Keio University)]
"Catching WIFI and Connecting with the Community of God: Use of the Internet and SNS among University Students in South Sudan" [Yuko Tobinai (Morioka University)]
"The Pros and Cons of the Use of Information and Communication Technology among Protestants in Nepal" [Mitsuru Niwa (Kyoai Gakuen University)]
Kae Amo (Kyoto University, Commentator)
Day 2 (Feb. 27)
Workshop: Religiosity, Youth, Digital Media and Civil Society
9:30- Panel 3: Youth, Politics and Digital Media
"New Generation of Muslims in Japan– Focusing “Young Muslims” and their use of digital space" [Yo Nonaka (Keio University)]
"Senegalese Sufi leaders and use of digital media: from radio, TV channels to SNS" [Kae Amo (Kyoto University]
Mrigendra Bahadur Karki (Tribhuvan University)
Mitsuru Niwa (Kyoai Gakuen University, Chair)
12:00- Lunch Break
13:00- Panel 4: Discussing methodologies and scientific approaches
"Use of Digital Media in collaborative research on religion. A new perspective from Young Muslims Windows Project" (Yo Nonaka & Kae Amo)
14:00- Open discussion (Every presenter)
Abdourahmane Seck (Gaston Berger University )
15:00- Closing remarks
Organized by
Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS) at Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Co-hosted by
The Center for African Area Studies (CAAS), Kyoto University
Co-hosted by
Religiosity and Civil society among the Digital Native Generation in Africa and Asia
(Fostering Joint International Research (B)) Project Period (FY)2022-2025
Contact
The Center for African Area Studies (CAAS), Kyoto Universitycaaskyoto[at]gmail.com (please replace [at] with @.)
