BIRTHA Postgraduate Conference, University of Bristol 
20 November 2010

This conference seeks to bring together doctoral researchers and early career academics from a variety of disciplines and fields to explore the role and place of women in religion encouraging research and collaboration at the University of Bristol itself, and with other Universities both within the UK and abroad.

The research on women and religion is often divided by religious tradition or academic field, and often occurs at the margins of academic discourse and practice. This interdisciplinary conference seeks to expand the focus of research by sharing approaches and perspectives in different religious traditions and in different academic fields.

We are now accepting abstracts for the three panels running at the conference, each consisting of three 20 minute papers. Contributions are welcome from any perspective: theological, historical, anthropological, sociological, archaeological etc

. providing the paper deals centrally with the theme of one of the following panels:

– Female Religious Leaders

– The Ordination of Women: Controversy in Different Religious Traditions?

– Women's Spiritual Paths: Subverting the Patriarchal Religious Order

We are also accepting submissions of posters, to be composed in A1 format. Six posters (two for each of the above themes) will be selected to be exhibited at the conference venue. Poster authors will have the opportunity to discuss their work with participants during tea and lunch breaks.

Please send all abstracts (of 500 words or less) and posters to Jinho Fashi (thzmc@bristol.ac.uk) and Massimo Rondolino (m.rondolino@bristol.ac.uk). Both should be sent in .pdf format by 10 September 2010. It is hoped that an edited volume arising from Conference proceedings will be published after the event.

Participation in the conference is free and includes lunch and refreshments. Some help may also be available to assist speakers and poster presenters with travel expenses