Voices of Action: Narratives of Faith, Ethics, and Social Practice
Organizer:
Saint Mary’s College
Date:
September 11th, 2025 (UTC-4)
Symposium Chair:
Dr. Kurt Buhring
Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Theology
Personal Bio:
Dr. Kurt Buhring is Associate Professor of Religious Studies & Theology at Saint Mary’s College (IN). Born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, he earned his BA in Religious Studies from Grinnell College and his PhD in Theology from the University of Chicago Divinity School. Buhring is the author of Spirit(s) in Black Religion: Fire on the Inside (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) and Conceptions of God, Freedom, and Ethics in African American and Jewish Theology (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008). Both of these texts are a part of Palgrave Macmillan’s “Black Religion/Womanist Thought/Social Justice” series.
Buhring’s research is focused in Black Theology of Liberation. In particular, he is interested in concepts of understanding the divine-human interaction in ways that foster human agency and positively transform the self and society. His research has also explored issues in modern Jewish theology, religion during the Great Depression, and religious expressions in film.
At Saint Mary’s College, Buhring teaches courses in social justice, Black theology, interfaith relations, religion and science, and Islam. He has also taught at Westville Correctional Facility as part of the Moreau College Initiative.
Call for Papers
Background:
This symposium aims to showcase the key concepts and practices covered in the course Faith in Action. This is a 200-level undergraduate general education course at Saint Mary’s College, designed to encourage students to explore the beliefs, practices, and theories of influential modern Christian activists and writers. The course is primarily attended by sophomores through seniors, many of whom are not majoring in Religious Studies or Theology. It emphasizes interdisciplinary perspectives and practical engagement, helping students understand how faith shapes social justice activism. Additionally, the symposium will incorporate literary analysis and explore how these ideas are reflected in literature, broadening the scope of understanding about faith, justice, and cultural expression.
Goal/Rationale:
In this symposium, participants will examine selected excerpts from Judith Brown’s The Essential Writings of Gandhi. The focus will be on Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence (ahimsa) as a way of life. An introductory overview of Hinduism will be provided to help contextualize Gandhi’s ideas. The discussion will include core concepts such as non-possession, voluntary poverty, diet, clothing, self-purification, and selfless action (anasakti). The seminar will analyze how Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence influenced other thinkers and social movements, including their representations in literature, and consider how Gandhian ideas can be applied to contemporary life and activism.
Scope and Information for Participants:
This symposium is open to students and scholars from various disciplines, especially those interested in religion, literature, social justice, and ethics. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their own academic and personal experiences with these themes, share insights on Gandhian philosophy, and discuss the portrayal of nonviolence in literature. Attendees will critically explore the relationships among faith, justice, and cultural expression, and consider how these principles can be relevant today. The event aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue, critical thinking, and personal engagement with the ideas presented.
Topics
The main topics of this symposium are listed below.
Literature & Translation
- Contemporary and New Century Literature
- Literary Theory and Criticism
- Digital and Network Literature
- Gender Studies in Literature
- Cross-Cultural and Literary Translation
- Technical Translation and Localization
- Classical and Ancient Literature
- Multimedia Translation and Adaptation
- Regional and Comparative Literature
- Environmental and Eco-Criticism in Literature
- Literature and Poetry
History & Philosophy
- Ethics and Applied Philosophy
- Metaphysics and Epistemology
- Political Philosophy and Governance
- Philosophy of Science and Technology
- Environmental and Climate History
- Military and Diplomatic History
- Religious and Cultural History
- Social Movements and Public History
- Post-Colonial Studies and Global History
- Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness
Culture & Sociology
- Digital Sociology
- Sociology of Climate Change
- Migration and Globalization
- AI and Society
- Sociology of Technology
- Social Media Impact
- Post - Colonial Sociology
- Sociology of Mental Health
- Inequality and Social Justice
- Gender Studies in Sociology
- Core Fields (e.g., Theoretical Sociology, Historical Sociology)
- Specialized Areas (e.g., Urban Sociology, Criminology, Rural Sociology)
Meanwhile, submissions aligned with the overall conference theme are also welcome.
Journalism & Mass Media
- AI in Journalism
- Digital Transformation in Media
- Social Media Journalism
- Data Journalism
- VR and AR in Media
- Blockchain and Media Ownership
- Ethics in Digital Media
- Influencer and Social Media Journalism
- Cross-Platform Journalism
- Public Interest Media
- Traditional Sectors
- (Print Media, Electronic Media, Opinion Journalism)
- Specialized Journalism Types
- (Investigative, Political, Entertainment Journalism)
- Film and Film Production
- Photography and Film Production
- Theater and Film Studies
Fine Arts & Design
- Artificial Intelligence in Art
- Visual Arts
- Generative Art
- Immersive Installations
- NFTs and Digital Ownership
- Interactive Art
- Data Visualization Design
- Sustainable Art Practices
- Contemporary Art
- Art Criticism
- Animation Production
- Music and Dance Studies
- Bio-Art and Biodesign
- Traditional Media (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture)
- Digital Media (3D Animation, UX Design, Corporate Design)
- Commercial Design (Advertising, Editorial Design)
Submission:
Prospective authors are kindly invited to submit full papers that include title, abstract, introduction, tables, figures, conclusion and references. It is unnecessary to submit an abstract in advance. The deadline for general submission is September 4, 2025. Each paper should be no less than 4 pages. One regular registration can cover a paper of 6 pages, and additional pages will be charged. Please format your paper well according to the conference template below before submission. Paper Template Download
Please prepare your paper in both .doc/.docx and .pdf format and submit your full paper by email with both formats attached directly to sympo_notredame@icihcs.org
Important Dates
Submission & Payment
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Fees
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Publication
Accepted papers of the symposium will be published in Communications in Humanities Research (Print ISSN 2753-7064), and will be submitted to Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI), Crossref, CNKI, Portico, Google Scholar and other databases for indexing. The situation may be affected by factors among databases like processing time, workflow, policy, etc.
Proceeding Title: Communications in Humanities Research
Press: EWA Publishing, United Kingdom
ISSN: 2753-7064(print) / 2753-7072(electronic)
* The papers will be exported to production and publication on a regular basis. Early-registered papers are expected to be published online earlier.
This symposium is organized by ICIHCS 2025 and it will independently proceed the submission and publication process
Venue:
Le Mans Hall, 149 St Mary S College, NotreDame, IN 46556, United States
VISA:
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Supporting Documents
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