Irish Centre for Faith and Culture Weekend Symposium 22-23 June 2001

21 Jun 2001

Irish Centre for Faith and Culture Weekend Symposium 22-23 June 2001

21 June 2001

The Irish Centre for Faith and Culture are holding a two-day ‘Symposium’ entitled Measuring Society: Discerning Values and Beliefs on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd June 2001, in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.  The symposium will afford a unique opportunity for dialogue between social scientists and theologians.

Dr Eoin Cassidy of the Irish Centre for Faith and Culture comments: “The rapid pace of change has pressured society and its institutions to look to the social sciences to inform them as to which social problems ought to be addressed.  In this context there is a need to focus on the role and status of the social sciences in contemporary culture and their impact in society’s ability to discern and critically engage with issues surrounding values and beliefs”.

The Symposium will critique a range of pertinent issues including:

· The extent to which the social sciences influence as well as measure the shifts in contemporary Irish culture.

· The nature of the ethical remit in the concern of sociologists with issues of social exclusion.

· The critical context within which religious patterns are both measured and understood.

The Symposium, which has been organised by the Irish Centre for Faith and Culture (based in Maynooth) in association with the ‘Sociological Association of Ireland’, will be opened with an address by Cardinal Paul Poupard, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, who is currently visiting Ireland.  Also speaking at the symposium are:

Margaret S. Archer, Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick; Dr Denis Carroll, Theologian; Dr Linda Hogan, a lecturer in International Peace Studies; Dr Tom Inglis, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at UCD; Dr Perry Share, Institute of Technology, Sligo; Dr David Tuohy, UCG and Professor Conor Ward, a priest of the Archdiocese of Dublin and a sociologist.

Further information:
Rev Dr Eoin Cassidy
Irish Centre for Faith and Culture
087 9545856