Haus der Kulturen der Welt

New religious movements are emerging in the world’s metropolises. Novel religious communities are embodied by political, economic and social players who promise redemption or liberation and success or collective healing. This development is changing the world map of denominations along with the architectural appearance of urban spaces and the public domain. Evangelical communities work in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to prevent drug abuse. In war-torn Beirut, Islamic movements are organizing the reconstruction of the devastated city. Christian Nollywood movies are being made in the film studios of Lagos. Islamic gated communities are sprouting up on the outskirts of Istanbul. In Mumbai, Hindu nationalists are officially part of the municipal government. In Berlin, Christian communities gather in cinemas, cafés and other secular institutions. Very little serious research has been done on these new movements. Instead, they are often ignored or scandalized. During the Global Prayers Theme Days, international academics and artists highlight religious phenomena and urban settings, strategies, and productions of meaning of religious players from metropolises around the world. In a series of discussions, lectures, sounds, films and photographic works, they explore the links between urban development and religious practices, between promises of spiritual redemption and social liberation.

A.o. with Nezar AlSayyad, Adé Bantu, Filip de Boeck, Sabine Bitter, Enrique Dussel, Andreas Eckert, Hengameh Golestan, Peggy Levitt, Marcia Pally, Surabhi Sharma, AbdouMaliq Simone, David Spero, Philippe Rekacewicz, Camilo José Vergara, Joseph Vogl, Helmut Weber, Paola Yacoub

Location: Haus der Kulturen der Welt, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, 10557 Berlin

Contakt / information: info@hkw.de, www.hkw.de, www.culturebase.net,      Tel. 0 30  39 787 - 175,  Fax 0 30  39 787 - 159

Organizer: Projektbüro metroZones 2009, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Europa-Universität Viadrina