On Thursday, March 7, 2019, the School of Law, in partnership with the Prefecture of Savoie, is hosting a conference on secularism.
The conference will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Lecture Hall 3 on the Jacob-Bellecombette campus. [Map]
Whether it’s Christmas nativity scenes, statues like that of the Virgin Mary in a municipal park in Haute-Savoie, or the wearing of headscarves or beards in public services, it sometimes seems that between “cultual” and “cultural,” a single letter is enough to undermine secularism—and by extension, the 1905 law on the separation of church and state.
Secularism unites, but it sometimes divides, no doubt because it is often poorly understood or even misinterpreted. Despite occasional attempts to exploit them for political ends, secularism and the 1905 law—when viewed in light of their original intent—retain their full coherence and clarity. Indeed, many questions regarding their application find answers not only in the text itself but also in the spirit of this law.
The purpose of this conference is to enable:
- to foster a debate on this sensitive issue and to dispel some common misconceptions, particularly by explaining—from a historical perspective—what secularism entailed as it was conceived in 1905
- to learn about the university degree program “Secularism and the Republic: Civic and Civil Education” offered by the School of Law
Learn more
- This free lecture is open to everyone. Registration is required; please click [here]
- [Learn about the University Diploma in Secularism and the Republic: Civic and Civil Education]
- Contact: Clément BENELBAZ, associate professor at the USMB School of Law and director of the university certificate program in Secularism and the Republic: Civic and Civil Education