History panel

The academic study of religion owes much of its methodological identity to historical approaches. However, in recent decades, the role of historical perspectives has been challenged both by the multiplication of research methods in the study of religion and by the fragmentation following from increasingly specialized historical foci. This plenary panel seeks to spark a new reflection on the theoretical and methodological contributions of historical approaches to “Religionswissenschaft” beyond the detailed examination of individual case studies. By debating what kind(s) of history and history writing can benefit the History of Religions, the contributors to the plenary panel will move the debate to the metalevel of historiography and trace new paths for future research.