Announcing the 2026 Student Symposium & an Online Colloquium
Since 2023, CIP has hosted an annual symposium, designed by and for Cambridge students to discuss religion-related thought and research at any level and across different disciplines. For 2026, the convenors are Geneva Blackmer (Divinity), Hannah Peterson (Sociology) and Songzan Xu (Divinity).
The call for papers (and other forms of presentation) is now open and will run until Friday 1 May.
The 2026 Symposium will take place at the Faculty of Divinity on Wednesday 24 June, with a supplementary online session scheduled for Wednesday 15 July.
Read on for more information.
Call: Religious Freedom?
We are pleased to announce the call for papers for this year’s student-led symposium at the University of Cambridge and—new for 2026—an extra online colloquium. We warmly invite submissions and encourage contributors to engage creatively with the many diverse and interdisciplinary dimensions of freedom.
Freedom, as a material, political, or transcendental condition, is the subject of profound contemplation across many domains of human knowledge and intellectual inquiry. Many religious and spiritual traditions develop particular ontologies or practices of freedom, which have historically contributed to both human flourishing and instances of tension, ideological conflict and even overt violence. Such trajectories are shaped by theological, material and cultural currents.
In the contemporary moment, religion and freedom are at the centre of many seismic political shifts around the globe. This reality invites further inquiry regarding how religious freedom is defined, negotiated, contested, and interpreted across diverse contexts, disciplines, and lived experiences.
Themes
Themes could include—but are certainly not limited to, how religion and freedom intersect through:
- The discursive construction of religion and freedom across political contexts, including nationalist or populist movements
- Influence of geopolitical powers and interests
- Philosophies and theologies of freedom
- Religious conflicts and interfaith dialogue
- New religion, cult, illegality, and freedom of worship
- Freedom in digital theologies / digital religion, including digital mediation of religious freedoms, interactions with AI and other emerging technologies
- Interactions with cross-disciplinary ethical discourse (e.g., technology, science, health, environment, psychology, etc.)
- Freedom and intersectional identities in lived religion
- Freedom and belonging or social inclusion
- Religion and freedom in literature and art
- Influence of colonial legacies on contemporary definitions of religious freedom
- The role of religious freedom in global development (e.g., humanitarianism, medical relief, poverty, and migration)
We invite contributions that explore the site of “freedom” where faith encounters the complexities of the material and spiritual world. By interrogating the ontologies, epistemologies, and practices of “freedom”, alongside its darker manifestations, we seek a more reflexive understanding of “freedom” and its im/possibilities.
Formats and eligibility
Contributions may consist of traditional papers, lightning presentations, and/or engage creative methodologies such as Zines, visual or digital methods.
In keeping with the traditions of this event, presenters should be current students (undergraduate or postgraduate) at the University of Cambridge. Those who recently completed a Cambridge PhD may also submit a proposal. Those not eligible to present will be welcome to attend either event, capacity permitting.
Proposals should be submitted via the online form (see below) and must include an abstract of ~250 words. The deadline is May 1, 2026.
Key dates
1 May: Deadline to submit a proposal (via web form)
15 May: Convenors communicate decisions
22 May: Deadline for invited presenters to confirm participation
3 June: Schedule published & general registration open
24 June: Symposium (daytime)
15 July: Online Colloquium (afternoon)
Any questions?
The convenors are available to answer queries over email.
Test your ideas by writing to if-forum-symposium@divinity.cam.ac.uk.