We are pleased to share this Call for Papers for the Session 4.5 Religious Architectural Heritage, Secular Transition, and Socio-Urban Impact in the framework of the 12th Italian Association for Urban History (AISU) Congress (Palermo, 10-13 September 2025). Deadline for submission is May 3.
The session seeks to critically and chronologically investigate the roots and historical developments of this phenomenon, highlighting how political decisions and events have shaped the urban fabric and social relationships.
The objective is to develop a framework that deepens the historical understanding of the transformative processes of sacred spaces, emphasizing how they have influenced the configuration of cities and their social and political dynamics.
The call is open for contributions from historians, urban planners, architects, sociologists, and theologians. This session aims to critically analyse the transformation of religious spaces, focusing on:
- The historical and periodised dimension of the phenomenon: An analysis of the transformations starting from the historical roots (for example, the impact of the Napoleonic edicts and the confiscation operations) up to the subsequent developments that have conditioned the evolution of the urban landscape;
- The impact on urban and systemic dynamics: An examination of the implications of these transformations on the urban system, highlighting how these interventions have influenced the social, cultural, and political structures of cities;
- An analysis that combines past and present: While maintaining a solid historical foundation, the session does not exclude attention to current challenges—such as the pandemic experience, which has underscored the importance of multifunctional and safe spaces—considering them as a continuity and consequence of ongoing historical processes.
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PAPER PROPOSALS
The Congress will be primarily conducted in Italian. However, paper proposals can also be submitted in English, Spanish, and French. The deadline for submissions is Saturday, 3 May 2025.
Paper proposals must be submitted through this form: https://aisuinternational.org/en/palermo-2025-proposta-di-paper-macrosessione-4/
Click here for full information about the Congress and session