Date: 18 and 19 April 2026
Network of Hinduism in Dialogue is organising an interdisciplinary online symposium to encourage and explore research focused on dialogue in the Hindu traditions. The keynote speaker will be Diwakar Acharya, Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford.
We are inviting papers that discuss Hindu approaches to dialogue from diverse perspectives. By “dialogue” we mean the intentional and constructive engagement with other views in religion, philosophy or politics. We welcome papers based on study of concrete historical or contemporary dialogues, analysis of Hindu texts that constructively engage non-Hindu views, or biographical research on Hindus that promoted particular forms of dialogue in their life or writings. Key questions include:
- How have Hindus engaged with diverse non-Hindu views and how did they reflect on the purpose and mechanisms of such engagement?
- How is dialogue theorised in Hindu texts?
- What words and concepts are used for “dialogue” and related ideas in the Hindu traditions?
- What dialogue formats were initiated by Hindus?
- In what ways is the knowledge on dialogue related to Hinduism disseminated in educational institutions?
- What are the internal discussions in the Hindu traditions on the (un-)desirability of engaging in dialogue?
- Who has represented “Hinduism” at global dialogue events and how?
- What role do Hindu participants play in contemporary dialogue initiatives?
We invite submissions from Religious Studies, Sociology, Theology, Philosophy, History, Anthropology, Comparative Literature, and other academic disciplines with a clear, empirical basis. Presentations will be of 20 minutes, followed by Q&A.
We are aiming to publish selected papers as a journal special issue or as an edited volume with a reputable publisher.
Please send your proposed title and an abstract of 200-250 words to networkofhinduismindialogue@gmail.com
The due date for submission is 15 November 2025. The selection decisions will be conveyed by 31 December 2025.
