The Center for Religion, Economy, and Politics (ZRWP) is a joint initiative of the universities of Basel, Lausanne, Lucerne, and Zurich as well as the Collegium Helveticum. It has been in existence since 2006.
In its research and teachings, the ZRWP addresses the interfaces and reciprocal influence of religion and economy as well as religion and politics in focusing on current issues.
The ZRWP brings researchers, teachers, and students of various disciplines together in order to work on complex issues relating to religion and to gain new insight into these issues.
The close coordination between research and teaching in postgraduate studies is characteristic of the ZRWP.
The ZRWP seeks dialogue that extends beyond the university to actors in religion, business, and politics as well as contact to the public.
The activities of the ZRWP are concentrated in the following areas:
It conducts an integrated, four semester long master program (Master in Religion, Economy, and Politics). In this program ‘religion’ and ‘religions’ are broached from economic, political science, theological, and religious studies perspectives. The first course of study begins in Lucerne in the fall semester of 2008, the second in Zurich in 2009, the third in Basel in 2010, and after that the courses will continue in this cycle. The Swiss university conference will support this course of study with 3 million Swiss Francs until 2011.
The research seminar regularly brings together top researchers as well as junior researchers, both national and international, for joint research. The research results are immediately incorporated into the curriculum and will also be conveyed to the larger public in a suitable manner.
The research seminar and the entire network structure offer ideal conditions for a comprehensive doctoral program, which has begun in the fall of 2008. Funding for this program was approved by the Swiss National Fund in February 2008. Through this program highly qualified junior researchers will be educated and enabled to produce internationally recognized achievements.
The ZRWP serves as a hub for the participating institution’s specific research projects. Currently, the following projects are (with location, main supporters):
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