Acculturation of Missionaries – How Religious Orientations Affect Cultural Adjustment?
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Acculturation of Missionaries – How Religious Orientations Affect Cultural Adjustment?

Although it is evident that religiously motivated missions are part of a long historical tradition in various ‘world religions’ (e.g. Smith, 1991) in the course of which experiences of ‘cultural…

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Religious Self-Transformation and Faith Development of Protestant Missionaries
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Religious Self-Transformation and Faith Development of Protestant Missionaries

According to the “Status of Global Mission” (Bonk, 2011, p.29), widely considered as serious statistics of missionary population, in the year 2011 approximately 4,800 mission societies (“foreign-mission sending agencies”; line…

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New Book Forthcoming: Europe and America in the Mirror – Culture, Economy, and History
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New Book Forthcoming: Europe and America in the Mirror – Culture, Economy, and History

A vivid and more or less stable partnership between European and American countries is generally regarded as a key issue and particularly serious challenge in terms of cultural, economic, historical,…

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Religion as Experience: On the Way to an Interpretive Psychology of Religion
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Religion as Experience: On the Way to an Interpretive Psychology of Religion

Another paper presenting an approach to interpretive cultural psychology of religion is finished. The underlying theoretical and methodological approach is located within a hermeneutical, interpretive framework of the psychology of…

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Language, Integration, and Migration: An interpretive analysis of an experts’ panel discussion
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Language, Integration, and Migration: An interpretive analysis of an experts’ panel discussion

exc-5a23fbb4343a9bd737479d99 The findings presented in this paper are based on a qualitative, interpretive analysis of an experts’ panel discussion that took place at the conference “Language and Integration: Concepts, Politics,…

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SONDERNUTZUNG – A Transdisciplinary Project Combining Art and Science to Evaluate the Meanings of Religious Diversity in Public Space
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SONDERNUTZUNG – A Transdisciplinary Project Combining Art and Science to Evaluate the Meanings of Religious Diversity in Public Space

exc-5a23fbb4343a9bd737479d96 “Imagine, exactly here would be a synagogue, a mosque, a Hindu temple, or a Buddhist stupa!” With this thought experiment passengers were confronted in the city of Essen in September…

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“Mission possible” – The Belief in the Power of the “Better Man”
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“Mission possible” – The Belief in the Power of the “Better Man”

Poster "Mission possible?" - The Belief in the Power of the Better "Man"
Abstract: This paper deals with the question of what experiences individuals do make, who aim for persuading and convincing others of their ‘own’ and how these experiences structure their everyday life and their self-image. To clarify this question a general and anthropological aspect of human being arises: the optimization and standardization of the human others under the provision of one’s own, which leads directly in the vibrant centre of modern societies in a globalized world. The idea of the ‘better man’ is best characterized by a variety of components, such as selfless service and charity to other, readiness to make sacrifices for fellow human being, self-flagellation, self-deception, and expediency of self-abandonment, which are necessary to one’s own task, especially to enforce a change, optimization, and equalization of other. Some of these strategies for alteration derive from previous theoretical considerations and reflexions on empirical research that has recently been accomplished: From the perspective of psychology of religion and culture, the current intercultural practice, the religious self and the meaning-making actions of contemporary Protestant missionaries have been investigated.As will be shown, missionary activity is rooted in both the process of the formation of experiences and the knowledge acquisition, in the course of which individuals ascertain oneself about their self by meanings and interpretations that are culture-specific and at the same time characterized by one’s own biography. Eventually, missionary activity is just one mode of a more general target-oriented human action, which aims at the improvement and perfection of other. The objective of the paper is at least twofold: both results of empirical research and new perspectives of methodological issues on inter- and transdisciplinary research in social, cultural, and religious sciences will be shown.

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The ‘Optimization of the Humane’ and its Knowledge Requirements for a Methodical and Systematic Analysis: A Criteria Matrix for the Discussion of Optimization Programs
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The ‘Optimization of the Humane’ and its Knowledge Requirements for a Methodical and Systematic Analysis: A Criteria Matrix for the Discussion of Optimization Programs

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This paper focuses on the scientifically or technologically based program of the ‘Optimization of the Humane’ which can be best understood as a purposeful intervention in human life in order to enhance physical characteristics and personal-psychic disposition. Our investigation of the logics of human enhancement pursues two objectives: on the one hand, we will outline a description and critical review of the objectives and implications of different form of human self-design and desired alterations and enhancements of others. On the other hand, a criteria matrix will be developed which is based on the “Logical Propaedeutic” of Wilhelm Kamlah and Paul Lorenzen and which provides a basis for the methodical and systematic discussion of various optimization programs.
Publications:
Arnold, M. & Bittner, U. (2011, manuscript). Das Programm der ‚Optimierung des Humanen’ und seine Wissensvoraussetzungen für eine methodisch-systematische Analyse: Kriterienraster zur Diskussion von Optimierungsprogrammen [The ‘Optimization of the Humane’ and its Knowledge Requirements for a Methodical and Systematic Analysis: A Criteria Matrix for the Discussion of Optimization Programs]. Ruhr-University Bochum.

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Between Illusion and Authenticity in the Integration Debate: A Critical Reflection of the German Debate on Integration, Language, and Migration
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Between Illusion and Authenticity in the Integration Debate: A Critical Reflection of the German Debate on Integration, Language, and Migration

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Without reproducing the whole controversy on issues like integration, language, and migration in the German host society in the paper different factors that influence the process of social integration of immigrants are examined. The presented results are based on a qualitative, interpretive analysis of an experts’ panel discussion that was conducted at the conference “Language and Integration: Concepts, Politics, and Jurisdiction, held on September 30, 2010 in Duisburg, Germany. As can be shown, in the public debate on integration a largely monolithic language-centered basic attitude appears to remain prevalent. Moreover, this analysis of the panel discussion unveils several discourse strategies, arguments, and priority areas. Nevertheless, in the German integration debate seems to remain unchanged a considerable gap between illusion and authenticity.
Publications:
Arnold, M. & Frazzetto, A. (2011, in press). Zwischen Schein und Sein in der Integrationsdebatte: Eine kritische Reflexion zur deutschen Debatte über Integration, Sprache und Migration [Between Illusion and Authenticity in the Integration Debate: A Critical Reflection of the German Debate on Integration, Language, and Migration]. In E. Dick, A. Frazzetto & A. Kirsch (Eds.), Sprache und Integration: Begriffe, Politik, Recht.

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Dr. Maik Arnold is Professor for Non-Profit-Management and Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Transfer at University of Applied Science Dresden.