Fifteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

  • Fragile Meanings: Vulnerability in the Study of Religions and Spirituality
  • 19-20 June 2025
  • Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy + Online

Research Network Chair

Dr. Luis G. Roger-Castillo

Dr. Luis G. Roger-Castillo

University of Jaen, Spain

Conference Chairs

Dr. Alessandra Vitullo

Dr. Alessandra Vitullo

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Dr. Alessandro Saggioro

Dr. Alessandro Saggioro

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

2025 Plenary Speakers

The Fifteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society featured plenary sessions by some of the world's leading thinkers and innovators in the field.

Alberto Camplani

Alberto Camplani

Full Professor, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

"Vulnerability as a Universal Human Condition: Responses in Manichaean Texts and Early Syriac Writings"


Raquel Andrade Weiss

Raquel Andrade Weiss

Professor, Department of Sociology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

"Sacred Feminisms: Ancestral Spiritualities to Imagine New Futures"


Stefania Palmisano

Stefania Palmisano

Associate Professor, Sociology of Religion, University of Turin, Italy

"Insights from the Italian Context on Contemporary Spirituality: Addressing Vulnerability and Fostering Resilience"


Emerging Scholar Awardees

For each conference, a small number of Emerging Scholar Awards are given to outstanding graduate students and emerging scholars who have an active research interest in the conference themes. Emerging Scholars perform a critical role in the conference by chairing the parallel sessions, providing technical assistance in the sessions, and presenting their own research papers. The 2025 Emerging Scholar Award Recipients are as follows:

Russell Hoban

Russell Hoban

University of Auckland, New Zealand

(In-Person)

Rishabh Gandhi

Rishabh Gandhi

Vishwakarma University, India

(In-Person)

Essien Oku Essien

Essien Oku Essien

Drexel University, USA

(In-Person)

Ayesha Ali

Ayesha Ali

Brunel University, United Kingdom

(In-Person)

Anthony Cruz Pantojas

Anthony Cruz Pantojas

Tufts University, USA

(In-Person)

Radhika Goel

Radhika Goel

IIT Roorkee, India

(In-Person)

Anastasia Kulaga

Anastasia Kulaga

University of Windsor, Canada

(In-Person)

Hatice Sena Arıcıoğlu

Hatice Sena Arıcıoğlu

Koç University, Turkey

(In-Person)

Liam Greenwell

Liam Greenwell

Cornell University, USA

(In-Person)

Eleonora Di Renzo

Eleonora Di Renzo

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

(In-Person)

Francesca Benna

Francesca Benna

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

(In-Person)

Eunjoo Kim

Eunjoo Kim

Seoul Women's University, South Korea

(In-Person)

Vineet Kumar

Vineet Kumar

Banaras Hindu University, India

(In-Person)

Caterina Pignotti

Caterina Pignotti

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

(In-Person)

Matteo Palombi

Matteo Palombi

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

(In-Person)

...

Emiliano Russo

Emiliano Russo

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

(In-Person)

Recep Can Mert

Recep Can Mert

Columbia University, USA

(Online Only)

Maritza Eridania Espejel Pineda

Maritza Eridania Espejel Pineda

National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico

(Online Only)

Jason Garcia Portilla

Jason Garcia Portilla

University of Winchester, UK

(Online Only)

​Therasa Topete

​Therasa Topete

Claremont Graduate University, USA

(Online Only)

Peace Ngozi Ngwoke

Peace Ngozi Ngwoke

University of Nigeria, Nigeria

(Online Only)

Sergei Sevriugin

Sergei Sevriugin

Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

(Online Only)

Jessica Diniz

Jessica Diniz

Federal University of Parana, Japan

(Online Only)

Conference Partner