Discussing Prevention of Religious Extremism

In late November 2015, the Interuniversity Scientific Workshop “Religious Extremism Today: Causes & Forms of Development” has taken place at the Astrakhan State United Preserve Museum of History & Architecture.

The event has been organized jointly by the Astrakhan Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration and by the Chair of Political Science and International Relations of Astrakhan State University.

The range of participants has also included political scientists, specialists in ethnic and religious issues, and reps of legal authorities and law-enforcement agencies.

Mr. Oleg Popov, Chief of the Unit for Religious Institutions Relations of the Regional Governor’s Administration, has given a welcoming speech.

On behalf of Astrakhan State University, the following people has given their reports at the Workshop:

Dr. Andrey Syzranov, an Associate Professor of the Chair of Russia’s History, “Phenomenon of Modern Religious Fundamentalism”;

Dr. Victor Victorin, an Associate Professor of the Chair of Asian Languages, “Confessional Processes at Regional Level”;

Mr. Alexander Grigoryev, an Assistant of the Chair of Sociology, “Religious Organizations: In Groups and Identification Objects”.

Besides, four members of the faculty staff of our Chair of Political Science and International Relations have acted as experts: Prof. Rafik Usmanov (Head of the Chair), Prof. Pavel Karabuschenko (Full Professor), Prof. Nikolay Grishin (Full Professor), and Dr. Sergey Novoselov (Associate Professor).

As a result of the participants’ discussions, they have come up with their suggestions to prevent extremism. In particular, they have emphasized importance of arranging events jointly with reps of religious institutions, activating work with regional mass media, and development of network interaction between scientific communities in Southern Russian and in neighboring countries.

Russian original information source: the Department of Social Communications of ASU

Russian original photo source: the Astrakhan Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration