Francesco Piraino – författare

This book provides a multidisciplinary and comparative look at the contemporary phenomenon of conscientious objection or contestation in the name of religion and examines the key issues that emerge in terms of citizenship and democracy. These are analysed by looking at the different ways of challenging or contesting a legal obligation on the grounds of religious beliefs and convictions.The authors focus on the meaning of conscientious objection which asserts the legitimacy of convictions – in particular religious convictions – in determining the personal or collective relevance of the law and of public action. The book begins by examining the main theoretical issues underlying conscientious objection, exploring the implications of the protection of freedom of conscience, the place of religion in the secular public sphere and the recognition and respect of ethical pluralism in society. It then focuses on the question of exemptions and contestations of civil norms, using a multidisciplinary approach to highlight the multiple and diverse issues surrounding them, as well as the motives behind them. This book will be of great interest to scholars, specialists and graduate and advanced undergraduate students who are interested in issues of religious diversity. Researchers and policymakers in think-tanks, NGOs and government units will find the volume useful in identifying key issues in understanding the phenomenon of conscientious objection and its implications in managing ethical diversity in contemporary societies.

This book provides a multidisciplinary and comparative look at the contemporary phenomenon of conscientious objection or contestation in the name of religion and examines the key issues that emerge in terms of citizenship and democracy. These are analysed by looking at the different ways of challenging or contesting a legal obligation on the grounds of religious beliefs and convictions.The authors focus on the meaning of conscientious objection which asserts the legitimacy of convictions – in particular religious convictions – in determining the personal or collective relevance of the law and of public action. The book begins by examining the main theoretical issues underlying conscientious objection, exploring the implications of the protection of freedom of conscience, the place of religion in the secular public sphere and the recognition and respect of ethical pluralism in society. It then focuses on the question of exemptions and contestations of civil norms, using a multidisciplinary approach to highlight the multiple and diverse issues surrounding them, as well as the motives behind them. This book will be of great interest to scholars, specialists and graduate and advanced undergraduate students who are interested in issues of religious diversity. Researchers and policymakers in think-tanks, NGOs and government units will find the volume useful in identifying key issues in understanding the phenomenon of conscientious objection and its implications in managing ethical diversity in contemporary societies.

Religious Dimensions of Conspiracy Theories contributes to the study of conspiracy culture by analysing the religious and esoteric dimensions of conspiracy theories.

The book examines both historical and contemporary examples to explore transnational and transhistorical continuities between religious doctrines, eschatologies, and conspiracy theories. It draws on a broad range of disciplinary insights from historians, sociologists, anthropologists, and religious studies scholars. The book has a global focus and features case studies from North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

This book will be of great interest to researchers of conspiracy theories, esotericism, extremism, and religion

Religious Dimensions of Conspiracy Theories contributes to the study of conspiracy culture by analysing the religious and esoteric dimensions of conspiracy theories.

The book examines both historical and contemporary examples to explore transnational and transhistorical continuities between religious doctrines, eschatologies, and conspiracy theories. It draws on a broad range of disciplinary insights from historians, sociologists, anthropologists, and religious studies scholars. The book has a global focus and features case studies from North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

This book will be of great interest to researchers of conspiracy theories, esotericism, extremism, and religion

This book provides a current view of the research and commercial landscape of diagnostics devices, particularly those that utilize microscale technologies, intended for both patient and laboratory use. Common diagnostic devices that are based on microfluidic principles include glucose sensors for diabetic patients and over-the-counter pregnancy tests. Other diagnostic devices are being developed to quickly test a patient for bacterial and viral infections, and other diseases. The chapters, written by experts from around the world, discuss how to fabricate, apply, and market microfluidic diagnostic chips – for lab and at-home use. Most importantly, the book also contains a discussion of topics relevant to the private sector, including patient-focused, market-oriented development of diagnostics devices.

Chapter 9 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

This book provides a current view of the research and commercial landscape of diagnostics devices, particularly those that utilize microscale technologies, intended for both patient and laboratory use. Common diagnostic devices that are based on microfluidic principles include glucose sensors for diabetic patients and over-the-counter pregnancy tests. Other diagnostic devices are being developed to quickly test a patient for bacterial and viral infections, and other diseases. The chapters, written by experts from around the world, discuss how to fabricate, apply, and market microfluidic diagnostic chips – for lab and at-home use. Most importantly, the book also contains a discussion of topics relevant to the private sector, including patient-focused, market-oriented development of diagnostics devices.

Chapter 9 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

Le soufisme, la dimension spirituelle, mystique et ésotérique de l''islam, est dans une phase d''expansion au XXIe siècle, guidé par des maîtres charismatiques qui renouvellent leur langage, en attirant de nouveaux disciples et en dépassant leurs cadres culturels et géographiques d''origine. Ce livre décrit le développement du soufisme en Europe occidentale, en particulier en France et en Italie, à travers une recherche empirique prolongée et fondée sur l''observation participante dans quatre confréries soufies à Paris et à Milan : la ''Al?wiyya, la B?dsh?shiyya, la Naqshbandiyya Haqq?niyya et la Ahmadiyya-Idr?siyya Sh?dhiliyya. Dans une perspective réflexive en socio-anthropologie des religions, l''auteur montre la tension présente dans le soufisme contemporain entre la scientia experimentalis, la mystique axée sur l''expérience directe du divin, autorisant une certaine créativité, et la sacra doctrina, la tradition axée sur les textes sacrés, qui reproduit les structures et l''ordre moral islamique. Il décrit également les différentes formes d''hybridation entre la tradition islamique-soufie, le discours ésotérique occidental, notamment guénonien-traditionaliste, et le discours new age. Ces hybridations comportent souvent la création de nouveaux rituels, doctrines, et structures organisationnelles, et donnent lieu à des discours universalistes variés. Enfin, l''ouvrage discute les différentes options politiques du soufisme en Europe, comme le désintérêt dû à une attente eschatologique imminente, l''engagement citoyen et l''élitisme métapolitique.

Similarities between esoteric and mystical currents in different religious traditions have long interested scholars. This book takes a new look at the relationship between such currents. It advances a discussion that started with the search for religious essences, archetypes, and universals, from William James to Eranos. The universal categories that resulted from that search were later criticized as essentialist constructions, and questioned by deconstructionists. An alternative explanation was advanced by diffusionists: that there were transfers between different traditions. This book presents empirical case studies of such constructions, and of transfers between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in the premodern period, and Judaism, Christianity, and Western esotericism in the modern period. It shows that there were indeed transfers that can be clearly documented, and that there were also indeed constructions, often very imaginative. It also shows that there were many casesthat were neither transfers nor constructions, but a mixture of the two.