Thomas Lewis: On Religion and Nationalism: Hegel and the Bulwarks of Political Order

Research group Hegel in Interdisciplinary Perspective (HIP) invites all interested to a lecture by Prof. Thomas Lewise (Brown University) “On Religion and Nationalism: Hegel and the Bulwarks of Political Order.” The lecture is to be held on Tuesday 17 December 2019 at 5:30 pm in the room 225V, main building of Faculty of Arts, Charles University (Jana Palacha 2).

The lecture is supported by the project Creativity and Adaptability as Conditions for the Success of Europe in an Interrelated World (KREAS), reg. no. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/000073, financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds.

Abstract:

Across multiple contexts, recent years have witnessed a remarkable and – to many – surprising rise in nationalism. These nationalist movements often explicitly invoke religious identities and draw vital support from particular religious communities. This talk elaborates G. W. F. Hegel’s contributions to analyzing these aspects of our present moment. Focusing on Hegel’s mature work, it examines Hegel’s account of the importance of social cohesion, the role he attributes to habits in supporting social institutions, and his analysis of religion as instilling and sustaining a group’s conception of itself.