5th International Balkan Studies Congress Keynote Speech by Prof. Dr. Şener Aktürk: Nationalism and Religion in Global Perspective

5th International Balkan Studies Congress Keynote Speech by Prof. Dr. Şener Aktürk: Nationalism and Religion in Global Perspective

The 5th International Balkan Studies Congress commenced with the keynote address delivered by Prof. Dr.  Şener Aktürk of Koç University, Istanbul, titled “Nationalism and Religion in Global Comparative Historical Perspective.” In his lecture, Professor Aktürk examined the enduring nexus between nationalism and religion, a theme that has been central to his scholarly work for over two decades. He structured his analysis around three key puzzles: the historical roots of religious homogeneity in Western Europe, the ways in which religiosity can either reinforce or moderate nationalism, and the conditions under which political leaders from religious minority backgrounds rise to the highest offices of the state.

Drawing upon his recent open-access publications, he presented a comparative typology of national-religious configurations and highlighted how formative conflicts in nation-building processes have shaped distinct trajectories across different societies. His keynote offered both a broad historical perspective and a contemporary analytical framework, situating the Balkans within wider global debates on the complex interrelations of faith, identity, and political authority.