Development of Religious Studies in Independent Ukraine: Experience of the Department of Religious Studies

Main research areas and departments of the Institute

Abstract

The article is devoted to the development of Ukrainian religious studies, its constitution as a separate branch of humanities. Based on the history of the emergence and institutionalization of the science of religion in Ukraine, the authors describe the complex process of religion studying and religious processes, focusing on its achievements and problems. It turns out that scientists have approached the formation of academic religious studies systematically, holistically, on a large scale, in many ways, on many levels. New methodological approaches made it possible to formulate interesting topics of planned tasks, to study discourses unusual for the humanities, both historical and current, to observe changes in the religious life of the country and the world, to track trends in quantitative and qualitative transformations of the religious sphere. In addition to theoretical questions on the phenomenology and historiosophy of religion, Ukrainian scholars have summarized the practical manifestations of religion: secularization and modernization, politicization and nationalization, institutionalization and confessionalization, pragmatization and digitalization of religion. A special area of scientists’ attention was freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, the state of religious freedom and state-church relations, interreligious dialogue. Scientific results of the Department of Religious Studies are fully represented in:

• numerous publications of basic monographs and collections
• printing of scientific and popular journals (Ukrainian religious studies, Religious panorama, Religious freedom)
• creating a web page
• holding hundreds of scientific and practical conferences
• an active presence in the international scientific community through affiliation in foreign professional associations (IAHR, EASR).

The department cared about the development of science not only in the system of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, but also in the field of education, in other countries. A special achievement of Ukrainian religion researchers is the formation of friendly relations and cooperation with religious organizations of Ukraine, partnership with state authorities, the media and civil society in general.