ReCov19 - The Changing Role of Religion in Societies Emerging from Covid-19

German Team: Prof. Dr. Kerstin Radde-Antweiler, Dr. Hannah Grünenthal

International Team: Dr. Gladys Ganiel (Queen’s University Belfast), Pof. Dr. Solange Lefebvre (University of Montréal), Prof. Dr. Sławomir Mandes (University of Warsaw), Dr. Caoimhe Ni Dhonaill (Queens University Belfast), Mathieu Colin (University of Montréal), Denitsa Tsvetkova (University of Montréal), Dr. Marta Kołodziejska (University of Warsaw), Dr. Katarzyna Sienicka (University of Warsaw)

Funding: Trans-Atlantic Platform Social Sciences and Humanities: T-AP Recovery, Renewal, and Resilience

The role of religion has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking on renewed significance in many societies, including those experiencing secularization. RECOV-19 compares the changing role of religions in four, secularizing, global north contexts: Canada, Germany, the Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland, and Poland.

In these contexts, it analyses majority (Christian) and minority (Islam and others) religions’ role in three key areas:

1. Constructing discourses around health, illness, and science, including promoting the observance (or not) of lockdown restrictions and public health measures like vaccines
2. Lobbying and liaising with governments and policymakers, including how religious groups have contributed to debates emerging from the pandemic, like addressing inequalities and mental health issues
3. Incorporating digital innovations like blended online/in-person approaches to religious practices

The three-year project utilizes a mixed-methods approach, including analysis of documents produced by religious groups, analysis of media sources, surveys, and interviews.

It features a multi-disciplinary team with researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, University of Montreal, University of Bremen, and University of Warsaw.

RECOV-19 is a three-year, multi-disciplinary research project, funded through the Trans-Atlantic Platform (T-AP) for the Social Sciences and Humanities, a collaboration between humanities and social science research funders from the Americas and Europe. It received an award under T-AP’s ‘Recovery, Renewal and Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World’ programme.

More about the project: http://recov19.org